Not What You Were Expecting
by Cosmic Sky
Summary: Expectations were a natural part of life. Some were achieved, some were fallen short of, and others were outright shattered. The last one was most certainly the case of Akira Kurusu and Sadayo Kawakami. Not that either of them were complaining. Now, their respective families on the other hand...well, truth has a way of making itself known. So too do genuine feelings. Post-P5.
1. Chapter 1-Moving on Up

**As I promised myself, here we are with another installment in the lives of our favorite Phantom Thief and teacher-maid. After much tap-dancing and hints, here it is, the dreaded meet the folks segment of their relationship! I'd have liked to have posted it sometime in the fall, but life has a way of throwing you off track. Then you have to get yourself back on track and go from there. Enjoy! **

**I do not own anything.**

* * *

_**Chapter 1-Moving on Up**_

"And what exactly are you doing?"

Morgana barely batted an eye as he heard his friend's voice. It wasn't like this was the first time he'd caught him doing something he "wasn't supposed" to be doing. Rarely had any serious punishments come from him doing so; it was clear the feline was expecting this time to be no different. He was half-right as Akira, upon watching the feline fumble around with his phone, quietly gave up on stopping him and laid back down, the impact rustling the mattress beneath him. Trying to reclaim a few more hours of sleep seemed like a good idea, or rather minutes once he got a look at the clock. If he tried, he could steal in maybe another twenty minutes before he had to get up.

But what did he have to look forward in his dreams? If he were lucky, simple emptiness; of course, then there was the possibility he'd lose himself in the abyss and end up oversleeping. He actually found something enjoyable in doing so, albeit if he carried through on that path, there was a chance he'd worry his parents.

Lying still in bed, he quieted his thoughts and listened. One didn't go through all he'd gone through and not come out of the experience with some…peculiar abilities, such as near superhuman hearing and a near psychic-sense of awareness. At times it was a gift, and other times a curse. Personally, Akira liked to see it as a gift most of the time. It certainly came in handy at school, especially when his boredom got the best of him and he was looking for something interesting to do. Listening in on his classmates and teachers certainly made for a good past time.

His father was the one cooking, and doing so somewhat frantically. That meant that his mother was more than likely going to leave early. A yawn stifled his ability to focus as he tried to remember the discussion held last night at the dinner table. Akira liked to think he'd been paying attention to what was happening around him instead of on matters that were far off in the distance.

"Someone's back to doing their sulking I see."

Only his eyes moved as he shifted his gaze to his right to find Morgana lying beside him against the pillow. "I am not."

"Yes, you are."

"I am not."

"Yes, you are."

"…Fine, I am. There, we're both sulking, how's that?" Finally admitted the human crossing his arms. His defiant frown crumbled in minutes as he let the contained maelstrom of thoughts eating away at him burst forth. There came an odd sense of relaxation with it as well. "I mean, if she's busy with work…then isn't that a good thing?"

"Hey, you're the one who's learned more about the Japanese educate system than me." Chirped the feline. "Or rather, you know how dedicated she is, how she's willing to push herself to make up for her mistakes." Morgana added realizing his first statement was lacking in the encouragement department. His second one seemed to have a greater impact as a small smile graced the teenager's face. "If you want, you can try giving her a call this time. Maybe you'll wake her up."

"If that's the case, I'm better off letting her catch a few more minutes of sleep. Something tells me that she could use them. If anything, I should probably call Ryuji." Akira responded causing Morgana to roll his eyes.

"Hundreds of miles away and you're still serving as his alarm clock." Muttered the cat. "While you're at it, why not give Lady Ann a call."

"Didn't you ready try that?" Grinned the black-haired human.

"Yeah, well, maybe this time you'll get it right." Replied the cat running across his chest to fetch his smartphone. Akira told hold of it and ran through his message count. Nothing new, or rather, nothing interesting. On some level it meant that he could go to school with a clear head. Exhaling, he fired off a few messages, first to Ryuji, then to Ann, followed by Yusuke and then finally his girlfriend. Akira wasn't betting on getting a response from any of them as like him, they were likely waking up and getting ready to start the new day.

Just before he sent the last message, he threw off the covers and made the short trip over to his window, his free arm pulling aside the curtains. A few rays of morning sunlight fluttered through the windows. So far, it had been a surprisingly fair fall, some days in late September even feeling summer-like. Akira had enjoyed those days, but like everything, they had to come an end eventually. The consolation had been that from then on, the autumn had been fairly pleasant, falling more on the warm side than the cold. Or that's how it had been for the town of Meguro, Akira wondered how things were in Tokyo.

Akira was willing to admit there were times when he missed the sprawling landscape of the urban metropolis. The first time he'd set foot in Tokyo it was quite a shock. Sure, he had some memories of visits to Sumaru City, but there was just something about Tokyo that was different. Maybe because a part of him was expecting his stay in the city to be marked by something absurd like an alien invasion, zombie apocalypse, supernatural explosions and war, or of all things, boredom. Of those listed assumptions, one had come true-the supernatural had found its way to him. And then some.

He'd survived it all and was now back home, safe and sound living a relatively mundane life.

_For the moment. _Chided a voice he recognized to be his own. At times, he could swear he could still hear Arsene; Akira was quite happy he could as he'd grown quite attached to his original Persona. He was a part of him, an eternal aspect of his mind that he felt he could always call upon, be it physically or mentally. Still, some of this darker ore more grandiose thoughts weren't the words of his winged inner self, they were his own-his deepest thoughts and desires given form. At heart, he knew after all he'd been through, life could never be normal. Somewhere inside he knew the supernatural, the out of the ordinary, would find him again.

All he could hope for was that when it did, his loved ones weren't in harm's way. Akira hoped that would be the case…but a part of him knew that's not how things would likely turn out. If it came to that, then there was only the question of rather or not he'd be strong enough to protect them.

"Heh…"

"Someone's thinking about the old days, aren't they?" Asked the blue-eyed feline that had helped change his life.

"Has it really been that long that we can start calling them that?" Softly mused the gray-eyed teenager. In truth, it'd barely been ten months since he returned from Tokyo, yet he couldn't deny that Morgana had been right in a way. That time had felt very much like a lifetime to him and those around him. "Anyways, yeah, a little bit. Think I can find some way to sneak out to Tokyo come November or December?"

"That all depends, from what I can see, you might have to bring your folks along with you, they seem pretty concerned about you. Or at least they have from what I've seen."

Shamefully, Akira admitted that was one topic he'd been trying hard to not think about, if only because he wasn't quite sure how to deal with it. Exhaling through his lips, he realized the first step to dealing with it might have been at least going downstairs and saying good morning to them. And perhaps keeping his dad from potentially burning down the kitchen. With a chuckle, the made for the door, his trained nose already catching a short whiff of the breakfast being prepared just down the stairs.

According to him, it'd taken his dad precisely tthree months to learn how to properly cook. Apparently, while he had great talent with pen, paper, graphical and structural design, achievements of the kitchen were somewhat elusive for him. That's one of the ways that he and his mom had bonded, her teaching him. Akira couldn't help but find something…interesting in the parallels between his parents and his own romance. Cooking had certainly been something that brought him and Sadayo together, and arguably kept them together.

His footsteps were heard loud and clear. "You didn't smell smoke, did you?" Half-joked Kunihiro Kurusu turning to see his son entering the kitchen.

"Nope, just a gut feeling that if you want to make this special for mom, I should help out. Hope that's alright."

A warm smile grew along the older Kurusu's face. "By all means, in fact, I think she'd appreciate it."

At first glance, it was incredibly easy to see the blood relation between the two men, a trait that both father and son had joked about from time to time showing their acknowledgement of the resemblance. Both fell on what could be called the tall and lean side, or at least Akira could have first glance. They both stood noticeably taller than the average man, something that had attracted them their fair amount of attention; in Kunihiro's case, it had been a constant source of unease until he grew comfortably enough in his own skin to not worry about it. Thankfully, Akira had just skipped right over that phase. Kunihiro and his wife hoped that his height would bring him more fortune than misfortune.

When it came to their hair though, it was a hit and a miss. As a point of fact, the older Kurusu tried to keep his hair as neatly comped as possible, especially since he worked in a job that called for him to look as professional as possible. With Akira, it was the near opposite as he took pride in his wild and unruly pitch-black locks. Kunihiro had long-since given up on getting his son to style it into anything resembling a proper style, his wife had claimed the unruliness _was_ their son's style. Over time, Kunihiro had seen his wife's point as no longer could he picture his son with anything but his ebony curls; he even wondered if he'd been complimented on them while he was in Tokyo.

One thing he could say for certain was that his time in the big city had done great wonders for his culinary talents. The first time he'd cooked for them, Kunihiro and Azumi had utterly blown away when they were presented with what might as well have been a five-star meal coming straight out of the kitchen of some upscale restaurant. While it wasn't the first indicator that something in their son had changed, it was without a doubt a massive step towards realizing that. Neither of them really complained, especially when taken into account that he more than readily offered himself to help out with cooking at most given chances.

For his part, Kunihiro relished the opportunity to spend more time with his son in the kitchen, it brought back incredibly fond memories. "How'd you sleep?"

"Great," Akira replied. "Though I did have some dreams of running rooftop to rooftop, think I might visit the gym after I finish at the library."

"Is there a chance anyone will be…joining you?" Questioned the older Kurusu trying to hide his building interest in his son's activities. It wasn't like he was being nosy, or at least he hoped he wasn't. Kunihiro simply wanted to know if his son was still using his time so…productively. Or more accurately, he wasn't doing anything that was going to hurt himself. "You could go join your mother at the gym."

"Aaand…you're hoping I'll bring someone along with me?" Coyly asked the teenager, giving his father a sly smile that he brushed off with a laugh.

"It's just a thought, I'm just saying there isn't anything wrong with…trying to get out there. Eh, forget I said any of that, and pass me the knife, please."

"I've been getting out there, it's just…well, I've got a lot on my mind. I've got a lot to think about." Responded the younger Kurusu. It wasn't like he and his father argued a lot, or at least he liked to think they didn't in spite of what seemed to be vastly different personalities. He was adventurous yet quiet and at times indirect while his father was more restrained and very forward with the people he spoke to. Truthfully, the former Persona-user was actually proud of that fact, and wondered if such traits could ever bleed into himself. "I can talk to Tomiko, see if she's open."

"Just give it some thought. I don't want you hanging out all alone with no one but Morgana for company."

"He does claim that he watches out for me."

"And I'm still struggling to wrap my mind around the fact that our cat, _your _cat, can-"

A somewhat aggravated meow echoed through the kitchen alerting both men to the third presence. Spinning on their heels, they smiled at the sight of the absolutely wild-haired matriarch of the Kurusu Family. In her arms glared the blue-eyed cat that Akira had brought home from Tokyo and made the family's unexpected pet. Kunihiro had enough graces to give speak an apology to the cat as he jumped from Azumi Kurusu's arms.

"Hear you, and good morning, boys." Stated the brunette with a lazy smile. Akira scooted over and threw an arm around his mother's waist before she moved on and pecked her husband on the cheek causing him to blush a little. This was the kind of morning that she loved waking up to, especially before heading out to work. She took single whiff of the cooking food, "Ah, crepes, my favorite with a side…" Her eyes lit up like stars spying the plate full of strawberry-topped pancakes that were also passed over to her. "Ah, Kuni! Akira!" First, she went to hug her husband, nearly causing him to lose his balance while his face turned as crimson as the strawberries he'd pulled from the fridge.

"Geez, they've been married for over twenty-five years and your dad still gets flustered like this." Remarked the feline member of the family. While it was nice to see the older Kurusu in such a state, Morgana couldn't deny that he felt happy as well. Since returning to Meguro with Akira he'd carefully watched his parents, the people who'd raised him. Akira had spoken quite highly of his parents, even when mentioning some of their odder or more out of the way quirks.

"Well, you are meeting with a German gymnast, I decided to make the occasion special." Answered the architect, a wink being directed toward his son. It didn't go completely unnoticed as Azumi shot a similar wink towards Akira, who smiled as he sat down and began to eat up. "Akira, think you might want to take some of your friends to meet a German gymnast?"

"It'd certainly get me talked about, but I'm not sure I want that much attention." Briefly there was a humorous laugh.

"Hm, then perhaps it'll make an interesting story when you call one of the friends you made in Tokyo. If you want, we could try to go visit them during Thanksgiving; I would like to see Sojiro and his adopted daughter." Mused Azumi, watching as her son's eyes lit up before he reigned them back in.

Rather than take the bait, Akira focused on the previous topic of discussion, namely why his father had chosen to prepare a German dish for breakfast this morning. "So, you're meeting a college? Is it Ms. Flore?" His lips twitched in amusement as he thought of the golden-haired gymnastic athlete that was one of his mother's closest foreign friends. Ann hadn't been the first foreign blonde he'd met; briefly, he did wonder what would happen if his pig-tailed actress friend met his mother's green-eyed gymnastic friend. "I wouldn't mind saying hi to her."

"And I'm sure she'd love to see that you've learned a thing or two since your last meeting." Azumi laughed. Florentine had looked at her young son, she turned back and told her, _"This boy will soar one day, Azu, I am sure of it." _As it turned, her dear friend had been right. Albeit, the brunette so dearly wished it hadn't been in the way that involved her son risking his life on a near daily basis. "If you want, she could teach you a few things, plus I'd feel safer in having my eyes on you when you're honing the family craft."

"Yeah, and provided we're lucky, dad will be able to gawk at you while you're working." Said the seventeen-year-old with a snicker that was echoed by his mother. A hot blush spread across his father's face as he gave his son a pointed glare. All Akira did was grin at him then go right about to eating his food.

"Speaking of gawking, any luck in the female department, or have you come to some other revelations about yourself?" Chirped his mother, having watched the playful exchange between her two boys.

"Nope." Akira said, a little too quickly for his liking. He felt his mother's gaze on him, dissecting his words, or word, and his tone. "Seriously, I've got a lot of other things on my mind besides romance. Like what I'm going to study in college, a career, all that."

A single glance was exchanged between the two parents as they looked back to their son. This conversation had been repeated two times before; thankfully, it never turned heated, but each time, Kunihiro and Azumi could feel their son's walls beginning to crumble. He'd built them up the minute he got back from Tokyo. It was a perfectly natural response to all he'd been through…but they knew he couldn't stay behind them forever, nor could they go on not having an idea of what lay beyond them. Or rather, what it was they were trying to hide.

"From what we've seen, you're on track to doing that." What Azumi didn't add was that Akira was perhaps a bit _too _focused on those goals. He was still young.

"We're just saying there's more to life than just academics and a possible career." It was nothing short of irony that it was Kunihiro saying such words as he'd stressed them to his son as he grew older. Granted, he also knew that taking the time out to have personal hobbies and interests were important too. Secretly, a part of him always looked forward to the day his son would bring home a girlfriend. He'd had crushes which the professional designer had quietly chuckled and even encouraged, but he wondered if one day his son would ever have something…more.

Akira knew where his parents were coming from and respected them for that…and he also silently bit his cheek. It was said that the truth would set you free; that was true, in most cases at least. However, he also knew that sometimes, truth had a time and place for it to reveal itself. Sometimes revealing the truth at the wrong time didn't make things better, they either made things more complicated or worse. It was quite funny considering he'd had to dig to the truth several times, and there surely were moments when he didn't like what he found. Sitting before him were two people who he, by all obligations, should have always been truthfully with…but he wasn't. Not even when he revealed to them his dual-identity as a Phantom Thief of Heart, as the group's _leader_ did he come out with the entire truth.

He reasoned they didn't need to know just how close he'd come to dying, that for a very real moment he'd been _erased _from existence. That had been the most harrowing experience he'd ever lived through, hell, just the fact that he _had _lived through it at times froze him where he was. His parents didn't need to know that, hell, they were still struggling to accept the fact that the cat eating at their feet was able to understand every word they said and could indeed talk, albeit only to a handful of people.

As he nodded his head and gave out hopefully convincing reassurances, he wondered how long it would be until he could reveal more of the truth to them. Would they accept it? Would they be able to bear it? Such questions were pushed to the back of his mind as he chose to finish eating the rest of his breakfast.

It would be another day at school, thankfully no exams or major events planned except whispers of plans for the still distant winter. Such things weren't uncommon, especially for teenagers. Akira himself was curious as to how he'd spend the up incoming holiday. Immediately, the image of a fluffy-haired brunette popped into his mind. As did the unseen tears that she shed the last time Christmas came around. He vowed even if he couldn't see her, he'd do better.

* * *

Once he finished eating, he began to get dressed and ready for school. Morgana would remain behind, probably not entirely in the house as his feline friend had made a habit of exploring Meguro whenever he wished. Even now, months after their initial arrival, the blue-eyed cat still loved roaming about and discovering all he could about the Wild Card's hometown. Meguro was far smaller than Tokyo, but it had its charms and so forth. All Akira asked was that Morgana simply be mindful whenever down by the harbor, especially if it was abuzz with activity. Specifically, he told him not to get too mesmerized by any lingering smells of fish. His parents had made similar warnings once he told them that the black-furred cat could understand them. For that, he'd gotten a forever engraved image of his mother holding up Morgana and speaking to him as if she were speaking to one of her dance students.

Akira couldn't help but snicker off to the side.

Waving a goodbye to his parents from the doorway, he started down the path to the sidewalk which he began to walk down. In less than half an hour, the sleek silver Nissan Rogue parked in the driveway would be gone, his father behind the wheel and his mother in the passenger's seat. First, he'd drop her off, then he'd drive down to his firm, one of the biggest urban development firms in town. Personally…Akira was quite proud of his father, always have and always would be.

Most of his classmates preferred to see his pride as arrogance and gloating; he didn't care unless they took things a step further. For those that didn't, those that knew him personally…well, it made for an interesting conversation topic from time to time. As he walked down the street, he came upon the view of two people who occasionally broached the topic, especially when the focus came to Akira and his…creativity when it came to the arts and craftsmanship.

"Hey! Is Morgana with you?" Shouted the male half of the duo, his eyes lighting up as he searched the approaching black-haired teenager up and down. Akira gave his friend an apologetic smile as he held up his school bag. "Ah man." Groaned the sky-blue-haired teenager hanging his head low. Laughter greeted his ears, primarily from the gray-eyed teenager to his front and the brunette beside him.

Her dark green eyes flickered over to Akira, who met her gaze with a curious stare. "Morning, you didn't wake up feeling like crap, did you?"

"No, that didn't start until I saw your beautiful face, Tomiko." Responded the black-haired teen causing a clamor of snickering from the other two. Such was the typical kind of greeting between the three. For them, it was an indicator this coming school day wouldn't perhaps be so bad, or dreary. Akira's eyes drifted to the bike that his blue-haired classmate had no doubt ridden over, or guided over. "Chikashi, either you were going to ride to school and leave me in the dust or you have to go to work this afternoon, don't you?"

A shrug was the response given by the blue-haired and blue-eyed teenager. "Right on both accounts. I thought about just riding on to school and letting you two work out some of your…issues."

"Issues?" Repeated the two, their eyes sharp causing the bike-rider to wince and shudder.

"Hey, what else am I supposed to expect? Two days ago, when I brought up your name, Tomiko got this ugly look on her face. What, did you finally shoot her down when she asked you out?" Chikashi tried to defend, hoping that he wouldn't be witness to an eruption. It was such a beautiful day out and he didn't want to start it off by riding for dear life then being force to dodge his two closest friends. Worst case, he had to hide out with his sister and her friends in the drama club.

Akira and Tomiko looked to one another, it was a quite debate over who'd be the one to tell their often lax friend what the sort of the dispute had been. The former passed the buck as he began to march forward, a detached frown on his face.

"We played a game of shogi in front of some of her friends. I beat her, badly."

"Oh, oka-wait! _What?!_" Screeched the blue-eyed animal-lover, his bike toppling to the ground with a metallic cling. Behind him, Tomiko's cheeks puffed. Without a word, she walked right on by the stunned Chikashi, who stared at the back of the tall boy. "_You_ beat Tomiko?! In shogi?! Does that mean those rumors are true, that you're some sort of latent shogi prodigy or something?!"

"I wouldn't call myself a prodigy, it's not like I had any natural talent or anything!" Akira shouted back, not bothering to turn around until they reached a street light at which they waited at. "What I _do _have is experience!" He followed up, spinning on his heel and looking to his friend with a bright smile. "Experience and lessons endowed to me by the best!" Beside him, Tomiko rolled her eyes, though her brow did rise in concern when he began to walk backwards right across the street and waved at him. "By the way, you wanna be late, just let me know! I've got a few hiding places that may work for you since you're still scared shitless of biology."

"Wha-hey, wait! I'm coming! I'm coming!"

The masked thief once known as Joker walked on, a smile brimming on his face while his two classmates, his friends, followed behind him. One close at hand and the other right on his feet, her annoyance having faded away upon seeing his cheery smile. Unlike many those he'd given within his first weeks of being back, this one was honest, it was genuine.

* * *

_**Shujin Academy, Tokyo **_

_**12:22 PM…**_

"Intrusive."

"I-n-t-r-u-s-i-v-e, intrusive."

"Indigenous."

"I-n-d-i-g-e-n-o-u-s, indigenous."

"Indomitable."

"I-n-d-o-m-i-t-a-b-l-e, indomitable."

"Insurmountable."

"I-n-s-u-r-m-o-u-n-t-a-b-l-e, insurmountable."

"Immaculate."

"I-m-m-a-c-u-l-a-t-e, immaculate."

"Immaterial."

"I-m-m-a-t-e-r-i-a-l, immaterial."

"Victorious."

There was a brief chuckle, on that was mirrored by the brunette sitting behind the table before the student replied. "V-i-c-t-o-r-i-u-s, victorious."

Sadayo Kawakami clapped both hands together, a proud smile blooming along her brightened face. "Alright, Seijirō, that's enough for one afternoon, go get something to eat."

The green-haired student grinned at the language teacher. "I can keep going, you know. What you hit me with were just the easy words."

"Those were to keep you sharp, which I can say you are. Still, you've got some friends waiting for you, including a certain someone." Added the brunette with a grin that caused the sixteen-year-old to blush. "Get going, and make sure to enjoy the meal that Kumi cooked up for you, I'm sure she's waiting. It's not nice for a guy to make a lady wait, especially if-"

"I got it, I got it!" Yelled the now thoroughly flustered student who quickly worked to gather his things. Just before leaving, he shot the short-haired teacher a gracious smile. "Thanks for the practice, Kawakami-sensei, and have a good rest of the day!"

"You too, and try to lay off the sweets!"

"You just told me to enjoy the meal Kumi cooked for me!" Joyfully shouted back the young man, already hurrying down the halls back toward the cafeteria.

Sitting alone in the conference room, Sadayo sighed in content bliss. Her dark brown eyes looked to the door frame; she quietly counted down the seconds, her arms crossed and her fingers lightly drumming along her bicep. Eventually, she began to hum to herself.

With a laugh, the part-time student counselor of Shujin emerged, his light brown hair parted to the side as usual, and a juice box held firmly in his hands. There was a second which Sadayo immediately deduced to be for her as the counselor looked to her with a kind twinkle as he took a seat directly across from her.

"How long did you know I was back there?"

"Oh, for a while. I just chose not to say anything because I wanted Seijirō to be able to focus on his spelling." Replied the female brunette. Fortunate smiled upon her in seeing that the fruit box was grape-flavored, her favorite. With almost child-like glee, she pushed down the straw and began to drink.

Her actions were nothing short of amusing to the bespectacled man. "Spoken like a true teacher. With an attitude like that, I'll be the first to say that I'm confident they'll win at the spelling bee."

Sadayo blinked, "Y-You…really think so?"

"I've been watching you, Sadayo-san, and I can say with absolute certainty…you're one of the best teachers here. I've been to quite a few schools-"

"Will I ever get any of those stories out of you?" Sniped the short-haired woman, her previous nervousness having been swept away, if only momentarily. "I mean, if there are any success stories, we could certainly use them now." If she had to give a comparison to their current situation, the status of Shujin Academy, it was this-a ship that had salvaged a damage engine and cruising along the waves. Generally speaking, they were doing well, considering they didn't have a captain, a principal. It was somewhat surprising given that it'd been over a year since Kobayakawa's death. They'd gone an entire year without a principal; Sadayo never thought such a thing would happen, and to a school like Shujin.

What they had gotten was a slew of new staff, such as the admittedly handsome, amicable, but somewhat odd student-counselor who sat across her from. Even now, after getting to know him for two months, he was still a mystery to her and a majority of the staff, not that it stopped them from interacting with him. Practically all the teachers and faculty at the prestigious school knew how bad a state Shujin was in, _especially _in regards to its student body.

Sadayo liked to think she'd done what she could to help, but her self-confidence was still nowhere near as high as her colleague was implying.

As if reading her mind, he smiled at her. She could never tell precisely what it was, but something about Takuto Maruki's smile was comforting, _he _was comforting. Sadayo never lost herself in the strange aura as she already had someone in her heart, but when around her fellow brunette, she felt herself relaxing. Perhaps it was because while he had made it a point to get to know the students, he'd always made efforts to get to know the Shujin faculty as well. Naturally, they'd bumped into one another and spent some time talking, even befriending one another, such as what they were doing now.

"If I recall, you were the one who rallied the faculty to stand up for that young man falsely accused of a crime. Matter of fact, before that you were one of the first to pull yourself together and begin taking your teaching job seriously." Began the glasses-wearing man leaning back in his seat. "The transformation was quite noticeable, almost miraculous from what I understand. Almost like you were reborn."

"M-Maurki-san, y-you don't believe everything you hear." Shy responded the language teacher, sinking back into her seat with a blush starting to creep across her cheeks. She was almost sure that Seijirō was laughing to himself, not knowing why. "I just…well, let's just say that I rediscovered my drive for teaching and we can leave it at that."

He nodded in understanding. "Fair enough. Whatever it was, I'm quite happy it happened to you as some of the students I talked to cited you as a reason why they've got an extra spring in their step. In particular, Makoto Niijima said something about how you've been a major help in getting the school back into working order."

"She did most of the work." Sadayo tried to downplay.

"Hm, she said you did equal parts, volunteering where you could even in some areas you had absolutely no expertise in, such as coaching and assistant coaching the tennis team, in fact, you were so good that they wanted you to stay on."

Placing her juice box down, the language arts teacher looked out to the window. They'd been blessed with a relatively warm, rather surprisingly warm, fall. It was so warm that as she walked down the streets, she found quite a few people dressing like it was still summer. Sadayo had been one of them, feeling a sense of liberation and youthfully vigor that shockingly carried over even when she got to work. "My mother used to play tennis in high school, she…well, that was one of the best pastimes for us. I suppose seeing them all trying their hardest just resonated with me."

"Did you have any chances to go pro?" Gently inquired the coat-wearing man. That was another little thing about him, no matter the weather, Sadayo often found him wearing that white lab coat over his shoulders. Sometimes he took it off, other times he didn't.

A heartfelt laugh slipped past her lips. "I was third best on my high school team, everyone told me if I wanted to, I could make an effort. In fact, there was a real good chance for me to get a sportsman scholarship…but I'd already decided teaching was what I wanted to do. Not to say that I didn't like tennis, and I'm proud of the time I spent on the team. As it turns out, one of my teammates did go pro."

"Hm…let me see now…"

"Hey, hey, no need for that! I want to keep some things private! Besides, it's not like we're close anymore! She probably barely remembers me!" Exclaimed the female brunette.

"Shame, I was thinking you could arrange something like having a professional tennis player stop by to give the girls some lessons." Takuto replied in a sing-song tone. Sadayo groaned. "You also gave them some pointers, if I recall. I talked to some of them and they said you've still got it."

"Regardless, that path's closed to me, I've got my own interests and hobbies. Besides…" A sad smile adorned Sadayo's face as she looked back at her colleague. "Fuyumi and the others deserve a professional, someone who-"

"They have someone better than a professional, someone that cares…someone like you." Softly cut off. He looked her in the eye, a sense of warmth fell over the female brunette as evident in the smile that slowly spread across her face. "Besides, at the very least you can keep on substituting. A majority of the students I've talked to, even ones who aren't exactly fond of you, want you to stay on as you're one of the _only_ physical instructors that seems worth a damn. Honestly, it surprises me how horrible this school is when it comes to gym instructors."

A very unlady-like snort flew from the language teacher. "We do seem cursed in that area, don't we?" There were times when Sadayo thought back to when Kamoshida was first hired at the school. Everything had seemed so bright and optimistic back then, or at least it seemed that way around the school. Even she'd thought a little in regards to what the former Olympic star could bring to Shujin. He wasn't the first of his ilk to be brought in as Shujin had built its reputation off of drawing in the best people who could educate the student-body. Of course, reality had a way of turning out radically different than one expected.

And just because a person was good at a particular sport of activity didn't mean they were certified to teach. Especially around adolescent children.

"Maruki-san, thanks for coming by and talking with me." She finally said, shaking away the negative thoughts.

"Oh, it's no problem. I actually quite like talking with you when I get the chance to." Answered back the tie-wearing man. "Eh, by the way, sorry if I ate up a bit of your lunch time."

"Hey, I've learned to sustain myself on little things like this." Replied the female brunette holding up the nearly empty juice box. "Besides, my next class won't mind if I take a minute or two off to myself to finish eating up."

"That's good to hear. Well, I have some engagements I must attend to so I'll be off." He proclaimed rising from his seat and heading towards the door only to stop. Turning about, he faced her with a smile, "Good luck with the spelling bee, like the rest of the school I'll be rooting for you."

"Yeah, no pressure or anything." Sadayo remarked with a playfully roll of her eyes. As she was finally alone, she reached into her pocket for her phone. Immediately, she felt a ping of shame in seeing the unread messages sent from her boyfriend, from her Akira. A quick look at the clock told her she wouldn't have time for a full-blown conversation, not even here in the conference room which was empty save for her. If she started talking to her black-haired, underaged boyfriends he wouldn't be able to stop. What she could do was text him back, then hopefully give him a call once school ended. She was interested in how his day was going.

More than his grades, she hoped he was in good mental health.

As one of the very few privy to exactly _what _had happened almost a year ago, Sadayo knew that Akira's demons ran far deeper than most, perhaps even his parents realized. Last she'd talked to him about the matter, he'd told her he'd skipped out on some details regarding his activities as a Phantom Thief. In the long run, it probably wasn't the wisest thing to do…but she could certainly understand why he'd done it. Sadayo could still remember the fear _she'd _felt when he explained the concepts of the Metaverse to her…and then there was the final battle with what had apparently been the embodiment of the human desire for control, even tyrannically control. Explaining Morgana would have been complicated enough, and he was just the "gateway" into all the paranormal activity that went on around the black-haired teenager who'd stolen her heart.

At the thought of the blue-eyed feline, Sadayo hoped he was doing well for himself, and that he was staying out of trouble. According to…Morgana himself, he was the one who kept Akira out of trouble, but something in her gut told her that things likely cut both ways. Once she learned more of their secrets, she couldn't help but find their interactions come off as almost…brotherly.

Laughter rung from the brunette at the realization that her boyfriend had a closer than average relationship with his pet cat, which insisted it wasn't really a cat. Life was indeed strange, not that Sadayo was complaining though. Sometimes it was the unexpected things in life that turned out to be blessings in disguise.

* * *

_**Yongen-Jaya, 6:48 PM…**_

She could have stayed out and enjoyed the nightlife, which was in full swing by the time she walked through the front gates of Shujin Academy. While Sadayo did indeed feel the temptation, the desire to return home, kick her feet up, and relax was stronger.

That, and she wanted some privacy so she could make an actual attempt at calling her secret boyfriend.

She hurried home like an excited school girl, like one of her students. Akira had texted her twice, once when she was in the middle of glass and again when the school day came to a formal end. Even though miles away, she knew his school's start and end time ran similar to those of Tokyo's. As luck would have it, both of them had after school activities they had to attend to. Sadayo felt a very teacher-like smile bloom on her face as she got the second message. After school activities meant he was socializing, it meant that her Akira was talking and conversing with other people. She didn't pride him on exactly what activities he was getting into, that could wait until later. In turn, he'd merely told her good luck, and not to push herself too hard with the same affection in his voice that always put her at ease.

Those words had seemingly recharged her, just as surely as a hug from him would have, or a kiss, or just his physical presence altogether.

_That's what you're always doing for everyone, especially for me. _Thought the brunette instructor as she finalized the plans for the academic plans for the rest of the week, including the short class trip that would feature her taking a group of students to the Minato Ward for a spelling bee. Shujin Academy had won one in three years, no thanks to her slouching behavior so this was just a big an opportunity for her as it was for her students. And thanks to her boyfriend, she had the confidence needed to couch her students through it all.

Finally, her day had well and truly come to an end as she turned the lock on her new apartment and stepped in. Throwing her bags onto the table, kicking off the shoes, and then lastly laying herself flat on the couch.

The number was dialed into her phone then held up to her ear. Sadayo could swear she could hear her heartbeat echoing in her ears with every second as the phone rang.

Her silent wish was answered when her master's voice came through on the other end, sounding just as lively as ever. "So, how was your day?"

Giggling, she made herself comfortable as she replied. "I can say that things at Shujin are getting better. Everyone's doing well. Would you believe me if I told you they're still searching for a principal?"

"Seriously? How hard is it to replace a fat turd like Kobayakawa?"

There was another giggle on her end. The noble thing to do would have been to stick up for her former superior…but given some of the things that had come to light regarding him and exactly what he'd allowed to happen, Sadayo found it hard to even try to work herself up in an effort to defend the bald-headed man. "Well, the school's had a multitude of other issues to worry about. Besides, Vince Principal Asama has done a pretty good enough job of holding everything together."

"It honestly surprises me that he hasn't been made principal yet. I mean, he's next in the line of succession or something, right?"

"He is…but he's been refusing to take the official title, thus the school board's been scrambling to find a replacement. They're still looking because, well, Kamoshida really opened the floodgates, as I'm sure you know."

There was a long-drawn out sigh on the other end. Of course, Akira knew better, he'd been a student at Shujin, one who came in at the bottom of the barrel and had to steadily fight and claw his way back. And even then, he hadn't made it to the top, his time at Shujin, the "People's School" had been cut short and that was the end of it. His time at the school though had been in his words, "a ride", and that was excluding his evolving relationship with his homeroom teacher.

Sadayo sat up, a shadow briefly falling over her face. Oddly fitting, she'd seen that dark underbelly just as her boyfriend had. She'd taken it upon herself in attempting to clean it out, a task that had been meant with success and failure and a mixture of both. For all the bluster that the school presented to the general public, it had its fair share of problems; such problems had only been dealt with almost two months after Kamoshida's arrest, when a storm of media attention assailed the school. It'd really forced the school, students and teachers alike, to come to grips with the seedier aspects of their school. Sadayo herself had been a part of that reckoning; of course, it had been painful, but necessary. In little ways, the reckoning continued after that.

Ultimately, the brunette liked to think that was more a positive than a negative as change brought opportunities with it, opportunities to do better than one had done.

"Sadayo?"

She smiled at the concern in his voice. "I'm still here, sorry about the silent treatment, I was just…thinking."

"…I'm asking are _you_ okay. How are you doing?"

Leaning back into her seat, the brunette sighed in content bliss. It felt almost like her teenage boyfriend was there in person, wrapping an arm around her to comfort her. Knowing Akira, he probably wished he was there to physically comfort her. "I'm fine, Akira. It's just…some days, I really have to just stop and look around and realize how much things have changed, all thanks to you and your friends."

There was a laugh on the other end. "You're flattering me again."

"Well, this time I'll admit you deserve it." Both ends of the phone were lit with laughter as the couple embraced the light-hearted mood. "Apparently, there are some who want me to stay on with the tennis team."

"You said yes, right?"

"Akira, we've been through this. My calling is the teaching of the Japanese language; besides, you know how lazy I can be." Casually defended the older woman.

Not one to be outdone, especially when such a challenge was laid before him, the Enigmatic Joker struck back. "Right of course you are." The teacher could practically _hear _the smile in her boyfriend's voice. "Except when it comes to cleaning, cooking, playing video games, fine-tuning bombs and lockpicks, writing soap scripts, teaching, giving pep talks, tutoring failing students like Ryuji, fishing, giving massages, cuddling, and-"

"Akira!" Shouted the red-faced Japanese Language teacher. If her neighbors didn't hear her then it would be a miracle.

From the other end came some very childish snickering. "You did leave the bait out there lying for me."

Times like this she wished she could threaten him with the fear of extra homework, or schoolwork, or any kind of work. She couldn't use any threats involving holding herself back because when she saw him in front of her eyes for real she'd probably throw her arms around him and sprinkle kisses along his face. And he knew that! He knew that and used it to his advantage!

Granted, the same could be said for him as Sadayo knew whenever they were reunited after varying periods of separation, her boyfriend sunk in some physical affection. Even when they were at school and tried to keep displays of affection to a minimum.

"Um, Sadayo, you actually called at a good time because there's…something I need to tell you." For the first time since their conversation began, his voice sounded shaky and unsure.

Normally, if this were a soap opera, Sadayo felt she'd be flying into hysterics. Thankfully, it wasn't, nor was she that untrusting of her gray-eyed lover. "What is it?" She asked with genuine curiosity.

"It's…well…I…do you think…look, this up incoming weekend, I'll be in Tokyo. Do you think we could try to see each other? In person?" Akira declared.

"What? You'll be in town! Akira, that's great! Of course! Definitely!" Excitement bubbled within her, forcing its way to the surface as she pictured seeing her former student, her savior, her boyfriend, again after months of separation. The reality knocked at her door. "W-Wit, this coming week? Akira, I…I'm going to be coaching for a spelling bee."

He sounded more surprised than disappointed. "Do we have a chance of winning?"

Somewhat smugly, the brunette held her head high and answered, "Yours truly will be coaching them so-"

"You all will be coming home with a trophy." Affirmed the gray-eyed youth with a laugh. "If the spelling bee is this Friday or Saturday, that'll be fine."

"Are you…implying what I think you're implying?" She could feel her heart racing, beating against her chest funneling heat into her cheeks as she held tight to the phone. "Akira-"

"It's not like it'll be the first time we've had to sneak around a little. Just give me the details and I can work it out from there."

"_We_ can work it out from there." Corrected the language arts teacher with a laugh. If you told her almost two years ago, she'd be having a conversation like this with one of her former students, she'd have either laughed or hit you in the face. Sadayo herself could hardly believe it, the casual joy and excitement that raced through her as her mind raced with how this secret meeting would go.

Some of her lover's adventurous nature had rubbed off on her, and maybe that wasn't such a bad thing as she'd once believed. After all, without a little excitement life could get dull, and she'd had enough of a dull and unhappy life.

* * *

**I decided to start things off with a peak at Akira and Sadayo's lives post-game, namely in how they've moved up and moved on, but are still thinking about each other. One of the things I wanted to stress was that Shujin Academy is still trying to get itself together given that it had its star gym teacher arrested (fallout that continues for a good long while, even after Kamoshida's behind bars, and likely awaiting trial), its principal dead (read: assassinated) one of its replacement track adviser getting caught up in a slow-growing scandal. Basically, everything you'd expect from your average high school in an anime/video game.**

**Now, I'll get this out of the way and kindly ask that anyone who has spoilers for the Royal, especially those involving a certain someone please keep them to yourselves. **

**Anyways, next chapter should be posted some time next week and yes, it will feature the end results of Akira and Sadayo's attempted secret meeting. I don't think any of you need any hinting as to what'll end up happening. Until then!**


	2. Chapter 2-Soaring High

**Welcome back, everyone, to the next installment of this little series. As promised, this chapter will contain some fireworks so let's get the ball rolling! I'll save the commentary for afterwards. **

**I do not own anything.**

* * *

_**Chapter 2-Soaring High**_

"Akira, a moment after class if it isn't too much trouble?"

Thankfully, the request was spoken to in a whisper so low that hopefully only Akira could hear it. Those in the front row probably did as well, but thankfully the way the classroom was set up the biggest gossip mongers were stationed towards the far left of the room, away from Oshiro-Sensei's whispered requests. It was understandable for the best given what the makeup of the class was, namely that he was the sole person in this civics class who'd _been _inside of a courtroom. Arguably on the wrong side of it most would say, yet he'd come out alive and whole, standing before his classmates finishing up the diagram that he'd began. A diagram of what a courtroom would look like.

When he started and finished barely a quarter of the way in, practically everyone in the classroom had a gut feeling that Akira would be the one to finish it. Again, only he had seen the inside of a courtroom, though his experiences were a bit more…varied than what most had been expecting.

Even their teacher seemed surprised when he took things a bit further and sketched out a surprisingly accurate image of not just the courtroom, but the entryways and backdoors through which jurors and judges would enter and leave through. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Oshiro-sensei's eyes widen a bit as he kept on going. Smirking to himself, the black-haired teen continued on. He already knew he had an infamous reputation, one that wasn't entirely going to go away; he'd made peace with that and even found a bit of relish in it. Somehow though, such a reputation had warded away everyone he once knew, he still had a few who dared to get close to him, such as the graying-haired legal professor whom presided over his last class of the day.

Naomori Oshiro looked every part the type of man who'd study the law and eventually teach it. To most students, his appearance could come off as nothing short of boring but practically, a somewhat short but lean man standing at a modest five-foot-seven, there was a decent number of his own students who in fact had a few inches above him. Akira included. He showed his age with pride, a wrinkle-laden face with faded salt and pepper hair. From what they'd seen, in his youth his brown hair and always trimmed goatee were a rich chocolate brown, but that was almost twenty years ago. Naturally, there was the occasional boast that in his youth, he was quite a looker. Such a thing was reinforced by the fact that he'd been happily married for over forty years and he kept a photo of his deceased wife on his desk. No one dared touch that photo knowing the ramifications that would follow.

Of course, he was also a particularly sharp person, having served forty long years as a defense attorney. He knew how to make out little details that marked a change in a person's behavior, namely a juror's as their opinions shifted from one thing to another. Such skills were used to keep his students in line and at times educate them as well as mentor them when needed.

All that made him arguably the best person qualified to teach Akira Kurusu, who'd proven himself to be a…changed man upon his return from Tokyo. Oshiro had seen that change on his first day back from the big city several months ago. That was when he knew the black-haired teenager had undergone a great change. Which was also why when the new school year began and he found the former bespectacled-teen in his class, he took keen interest in him.

Akira wasn't blind to that interest, but he also didn't really shun it as one would have expected him to. If anything, he rose to meet the civic teacher's expectations, just as he was doing now. Behind him, some of his classmates snickered, making jokes about how he knew so much. _More than most of you will ever know…and more than some of you want to know. _While there were some he loathed, Akira found he couldn't bring himself to wish they'd go through what he experienced. The nightmarish rollercoaster ride he'd endured was a fate he wouldn't wish on anyone

If any of them had to endure it, Akira didn't have to think hard about how they'd turn out.

Stepping back, he looked at the completed diagram. Yusuke would be proud of him, as would the school art teachers probably. Makoto would be worried given the detail in which he'd given to recruiting the basics of the courtroom. He'd gone off the one that they'd attended during the Casino Heist, a memory that stuck in his head for more reasons than he'd like to admit.

"Hm, not bad, not bad at all. Feel like taking a guess as to who amongst our class will end up where?" Oshiro beckoned getting a laugh out of room full of students.

"Well, that's truly tempting and I can definitely see a few people here filling out certain positions, who those people are, I won't say." Akira responded leaning back against the board with a sly smile on his face. Scouring the room, he could see some were daring him to speak, almost pleading for him to do so. Others glared at him promising him a tough time if he did and placed them in the "wrong positions" he'd pay for it. His smile deepened. "Again, I won't say, but I do hope that a time never comes when anyone here is standing in court, defending themselves against criminal charges. Or for divorce hearings." His well-placed jab had the entire classroom roaring in laughter and even Oshiro snickering to himself off by the side. "Sensei, anything else you'd like?"

"No, you can return to your seat. I know you all are looking forward to school being done with, but we've still at least twenty minutes left and I still need to explain to you all the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor. Some of you would do well to learn the difference."

"Emphasis on some of us." Called one student, not particularly eyeing Akira but several others. No doubt there'd be some words and jabs spoken after class, preferable outside when it wouldn't be the school's problem, but personally, Akira wasn't holding his breath.

Class continued on for the next twenty minutes uninterrupted, everyone taking their notes, or some pretending to take notes and others outright throwing caution to the window and sleeping. Oshiro simply looked to the last group and shook his head. On a day like this he simply didn't have the heart to reprimand them, rather, he'd let their failing grades speak for him. As a teacher, he'd learned who those people would be after a semester, or half a semester; accordingly, he also could tell who would pass and who would pass with flying colors.

So far, Akira Kurusu was straddling the line between those two distinctions.

He made a show of packing his things when the bell rung, signaling the end of not just class, but the school day as well. There were those handful that couldn't pack their things fast enough as they ran for the door. If they lost anything on the way, they'd find out when they stopped and took a breath. Others talked and conversed with one another as they made their way out of the classroom. Next to none paid much mind to Akira, who minutes ago had captivated their attention, and in some cases earned their scorn. Once it was just him and his civics teacher, he decided to speak up.

"I'm not failing, am I?

"Oh please, Akira." Oshiro waved off with a slight smirk that the teenager mirrored. "If I consider you to be failing then the rest of the class might as well start studying for makeups." The smile grew warmer as the older man moved to the front of his desk, leaning back against it. "Akira, when I found out you were going to be in my class this year, I honestly had no idea what to expect. I can tell you it's not exactly a pleasant feeling to be teaching the federal justice system…and having one of my students having seen that system from the _inside _out."

_Oshiro-sensei, if only you knew. _Mused the black-haired teen. He didn't let that show though, primarily for the sake of the former lawyer who was his teacher and spent long hours attempting to teach kids like him how that system worked. What he didn't tell them, or he probably _couldn't _tell them was how monstrously tangled that system could be, and how easily it could be warped to serve one's own ends. Albeit a discussion on that might be enough to get some of his classmates motivated. "I'll just say it was an informative look. I'm not about to harp on the system…but I'm not going to praise it either." Finished the gray-eyed teen.

Oshiro held his gaze for what felt like hours, his face flat. Then he smiled. "I'm happy to hear that, especially that last part."

"Are you sure that's the sort of thing you should be saying?"

"Akira," Oshiro laughed. "The legal system isn't perfect; it was designed to be…put it's a system made to apply to _people_." This was the part where he expected to hear, "Then it's doomed to fail". For someone like him, that was the answer that was to be expected…and it was an answer that Oshiro wouldn't have held against him in the slightest.

There was a light-hearted shrug, "That just means it'll have its hits and misses. Suppose the job of people like you is to tip the balance towards hit if only just a little."

Eyes visibly widen as the words registered in the teacher's head. He stared at his student in dumbfounded shock, though his mouth remained sealed shut. Speaking through his eyes, he quietly questioned the black-haired teenager, his response was to merely look back with a sheepish smile. Such a reaction made Akira Kurusu yet another oddity. As the answer sunk in, Oshiro's lips slowly curved into a warm smile.

"Do you have to look at me like I just answered a question correctly?" Half-heartedly questioned the former Phantom Thief. He could have faked an answer, but he respected his civics teacher too much for that, not to mention when it came to discussing the law in a mood like this, he didn't see the problem wrong with being truthfully, especially with one's personal feelings.

"Can't help it, you are one of my favorite students." Casually replied the teacher.

"I am? Dare I ask why?"

"Because, I can see in your eyes that you give some serious thought into everything I've tried to teach." Temporarily, his eyes darkened. "Albeit not exactly for the reasons I would like. Still, I can see a shine in your eyes."

"Oshiro-sensei," Akira began, a note of uncertainty in his voice. "Um…are you…telling me that I could be a…ya' know." It was like the word existed in his mind, but the moment he tried to say it, his mouth became sand paper. Strange didn't even begin to cover it.

He rose, soothing the building tension in the teenager. "As your teacher, I'm obligated to say you can be whatever you want to be."

"Yeah…but as my teacher, you're _also _obligated to give me some advice on what I could be based on what you've seen of me." Replied the teenager.

An eyebrow rose in approval. "That is true…thus I'll give you this answer, I think one day you could make a good lawyer. What kind, I won't say, though something about you tells me you'd forgo being a corporate lawyer." Seeing his questioning stare, Oshiro elaborated. He had a feeling that Akira already knew why he'd rolled out a path as a corporate lawyer as a potential career choice. "You're too…well, Akira, you're too much of an upstanding person to potentially get sucked into that world, not that you couldn't hack it."

"I've got the charms for it, don't I?" Baited the black-haired youth with a smile.

"Not nearly as much charm as me in my youth, but I won't deny you might have some." Laughed the old lawyer causing his student o laugh. "As to answer your question, like I said, you're…too much of an upstanding person in my opinion. If anything, Akira, I honestly see you as being more of a defense attorney than anything."

_Defense…attorney_. Repeated the seventeen-year-old in his head. His mind jumped back to one of his last days in Tokyo, his last encounter with a certain silver-haired woman who'd gone from being a potential enemy to an ally. Without a doubt, his relationship with Sae Niijima had certainly been a complicated one. Thankfully, the bond they forged was enough to avoid him getting a bullet to the head and a chance to counterattack Shido and his conspiracy. It had all been so miraculous it was at times hard to believe. Just as hard to believe was Sae defending someone in court to keep them out of jail or prison instead of ensuring they were sent there. His story and the resulting aftermath had no doubt left her with a change of heart. Philosophically speaking.

Admittedly, he did Sae better when she was defending people using the law rather than condemning them with it, even if some deserved it. Could he place himself in that situation? Would anyone be willing to place their life or livelihood in his hands and words?

"I…don't know if I'm capable of doing that." He finally said scratching the back of his head.

"You don't seem to have a problem jumping into other people's disputes and lending a helping hand to the less fortunate." Sniped the old law practitioners. "I may be old, but I've still got some sight and hearing, specifically when it concerns my students." Expectedly, he looked away, though not particularly out of scorn or even embarrassment. Oshiro sighed, but continued to smile none the less. "Akira…my…son and his family are going to be moving into town come this December. He's a lawyer, like me."

That caught his attention. Oshiro had spoken of his family before, quite fondly at that. It was a known fact that he was a widower, having lost his wife several years ago to lung cancer. Akira could remember the week he'd taken off to mourn her. Quietly, he'd wished the old man well. It seemed that his son had given some thought to his father's loneliness and decided to do something about it.

"Is he going to be joining a firm here in town?"

"Yes, I believe you've heard of it, Hodgens and Hosoi."

Akira whistled, "Yep, never been inside though. I heard my dad bring them up once at dinner."

"Not in a negative light I hope."

"Don't really remember. It wasn't exactly the kind of place I wanted to be around…until now maybe." Answered back the young man. "Are you thinking you can set me up with an internship or something? I haven't even affirmed rather or not I want to go into law as a career path yet."

"I know, but I'm just throwing it out there. Such is my duty as one of your teachers. Besides, this is your last year so you might as well start giving some possible careers some thought. I hear you have an interest in basketball, but you chose not to sign up for the team." There was a pause. "They didn't turn you away, did you?"

It was…nice hearing the brief undertone of worry in the civics teacher's ears. It showed that he did indeed care. "I chose not to join the team, though I've gotten some offers. If anything happens to someone on the team they did tell me I could make for a good backup." Glancing out the window at the subtly approaching evening twilight, Akira thought it was time to wrap things up.

Apparently, so too did Oshiro. "Just think over some of what I said. If you ever want any more information, just stop by my class."

"I will, and thank you, Oshiro-sensei."

He got three steps outside of the classroom when he heard an oh-so-familiar voice.

_**Quite a turnabout, wouldn't it? From running from the law to using it as your blade. Would this be where your justice takes you? **_

Akira never bothered to question if it was really his Persona's voice in his head or if his mind was just playing tricks on him. Truthfully, he was just happy to hear even the faintest trace of Arsene's voice again. He honestly wondered if that faint voice represented his secret yearnings for the wild and dangerous life he once held as a Phantom Thief of Heart.

Yet, in spite of that yearning, Akira wasn't entirely sure if he could have, he'd have made _that _an out and out his career.

His parents might have approved of his refusal seeing as how the life style put him constant danger, of the legal, physical, and even mental kind. All of which would cause their hearts to explode with anxiety. He knew behind their smiles and light-hearted encouragement, they still worried about him and walked with a small bud of anxiety inside of them waiting to go off. For their sakes, he did his best to keep that bud from blooming, and hoped before the last stretch of the school year arrived, it'd be stomped out for good.

_**THUNK! **_

Stopping a mere foot from the steps leading down to the first floor, Akira listened intently to the commotion going on down the hallway. He listened, he recognized the voices, he created a mental picture of the scenario unfolding, and came to a decision.

Fujio Fukushima was in a word, a prick, one who very much enjoyed lording over those he viewed as being beneath him. Given his hierarchy in the school's basketball team as well as the rather noticeable reputation his family held, that put about sixty-percent of the student body in the latter category.

Akira had never liked him before he left for Tokyo, and he most certainly didn't like him when he came back from the big city. He was no Kamoshida, at least he hoped he wouldn't become one in the future, but that wasn't going to stop him from acting.

"Hm, didn't know that practice had been canceled. Surely there's some other poor sucker for you to pick on, eh, Fujio?" Called the curly-haired teenager, his voice echoing through the hallway, and in the ears of the two standing there. Both turned to him, one with irritation and the other with shock, then later relief.

A dismissive sneer covered the male brunette's face. "Still lounging around in the shadows. If you've got a problem with me, how's about settling it on the court?"

Grays eyes stared unwavering into dark blue. "In that case, how's about you and Itsurō settle whatever beef you have there?"

The star player released his grip on the redhead he'd been holding up. Itsurō wisely stepped back, his green eyes filling with venomous spite for his teammate. The feeling mutual; Fujio then turned his glare back on Akira. Stomping toward him, he didn't stop until he was directly in the taller boy's face. He didn't bate an eye as he glared back at him. Originally, Akira's five-nine had afforded him a two-inch lead over his would-be-rival. Over the summer, he'd grown closer to achieving five-ten, a fact that delighted his parents and his friends, but had off-set some such as Fujio who'd remained the same. He looked to Akira as if he wanted to curse him for his body growing while his had remained the same.

He also perhaps wanted to curse him for showing an extremely striking change in personality, becoming a "silent guardian" as some had called him for his swift and direct interventions in scuffles that would have otherwise gone on unchecked and likely left someone bruised physically or emotionally, just like this time for instance.

Like so many others, Itsurō was certainly grateful for the change, and it showed on his face as he moved behind the black-haired teenager. He'd have spoken if he wasn't keenly aware of the charged atmosphere around him and his teammate.

A single spark was all it would take for things to ignite; the question was who'd be the one to light it.

Akira's dismissive glare told Fujio that he had no intention of being that person…but once the fire started, he'd burn.

Fujio concluded that risk wasn't worth it. "You better not be late, you hear me? And I tell you to pass the ball, you'd better damn well do it." Huffing, the brown-haired student pushed past the former delinquent, shooting one last side glare Itsurō's way as he made his way toward the staircase.

"Is he…a reason why you didn't join the team?" Questioned the redhead as footsteps echoed from the staircase.

"Not really, I've dealt with far worse than jackasses like him." Flippantly answered the senior. "Here you go, you might want to get going too, and don't let anything he says get you down, especially any shit about bumping into him."

"T-Thanks." Smiled the redhead, his eyes flickering every but in the direction of Akira's. He found it amusing. "A-And thanks for the advice. If you don't mind me asking, where are you going to be? I-I mean I hear you haven't joined any clubs or anything so…"

"I'm heading down to the library, then to go meet with my mom."

"I'm pretty envious of you, for the second part I mean." It was a known fact amongst the sports-affiliated students of the school that Akira's mother had all the talent and ability to be an Olympic gymnast, or that's the story that was circulated. She was also an unofficial director at the town's largest gym, which was how a good number of students knew of her and Akira himself.

"Wanna come? I can send you a test message and meet you in front?"

"N-N-No! I-I-I mean n-not n-n-no, b-but I-I've got things I-I need to do a-a-after practice!"

"I see, then I hope you have fun, and remember what I said about once your out there on the court." Spinning on his heel, he looked back at the younger boy with a smile that had him practically swooning. "You're out there to play ball, and be yourself. Do those things and don't let anything else bother you, alright?" He stood there dumbfounded, but eventually Itsurō nodded in understanding, a smile and a blush on his face. Content in what he'd given, Akira returned to his original path, heading towards the stairs. As he turned the corner, he found that someone had been watching him. He wasn't all that too surprised.

"You know, you really are a knight in shining armor, ever thought of that as a career path?" Inquired Tomiko with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"Not really my thing." He coolly fired back.

"But helping people apparently is." There was a beat as the smirk became a genuine smile. "Not that there's anything wrong with that. In fact, it's…it's actually a pretty good treat to have. It'll get you good friends."

Akira wanted to say that it already had, and him doing so had given him the most beautiful and capable woman he could ever ask for as a girlfriend. "I'm gonna guess that you heard all of that?" A nod was his answer. Chuckling seeing that there was no point in denying it, he kept on walking. "You feel like coming with me?"

"Mmm…I'll stick with you for the library part, then I'll…see about the gym visit. Yu know for a fact that I'm not really a fitness nut like you."

The former Persona-user laughed. "Oh, trust me, I've met some real fitness nuts, you haven't seen anything yet. Besides, you could use the exercise, what with these noodle arms." His chuckling continued as he reached for his friend's arm and held it up, giving it lightly wiggle. She looked to him with half-hearted anger before pulling her arm away, crossing it and the left one across her decently-sized chest and looking away with a huff. "Does the tech club know about you skipping out on today meeting?"

"They know, and I left someone capable in charge while I'm gone. In the meantime, I'm going to be looking after you."

"For the record, I didn't start that last one." His devious grin returned as they passed through the front door and into the school courtyard. "Or…are you tailing me to learn some of my secrets?"

"…Yep. I'm still trying to figure out what the hell happened to you to make you so…so…gah, I really don't even know how to say it!" Exclaimed the green-eyed girl. Not helping her mood was the continued smirk on his face, which also caused her cheeks to flush red. "What?! What the hell happened while you were in Tokyo? Did you meet a girl or something?"

"Maybe." He automatically defended. Carefully, he watched Tomiko's reaction, which was well worth it. For a brief moment, her eyes widen in shock, and if he had to guess alarm. A ping of regret ripped through Akira. As it did, the long-haired girl regained her composure and attempted to play off his statement.

"Whatever happened to you…would you…be willing to tell me one day? I mean, if we're still keeping up with one another. And Chikashi too." She started looking away from him while they waited for the light to change.

"…Would you believe me if I told you?" He kept his focus straight ahead on the road, watching the multitude of cars zip by. If he tried hard enough, he could have sworn that he was able to take himself out of Meguro and drop himself back into Tokyo. If He looked back, he would have seen Shujin Academy. If he did, he pictured his secret girlfriend busy in her classroom or the teacher's lounge. He'd have stealthily found his way to her and took her into a warm embrace. _Sadayo, I hope you're doing alright. _That test message had been nice, but what he wanted to hear was her voice, see her face.

Pulling him out of his thoughts was a nudge at his side.

Tomiko seemed amused by the star-struck look on his face. "Hey, you're a lot of things, Akira, including at times a tease and even a liar, but when it counts…you're pretty honest. At least…I'd like to think to reveal that sort of stuff you'd be honest with me."

* * *

_**6:29 PM…**_

_I can see her! _That one line repeated itself over and over again like a drum beat in his head from the moment he'd heard the words "possible trip" and "Tokyo" in the same sentence. Often, Sadayo had spoken of how his words and actions were able to leave her acting like a love-struck school girl; well, he was human too and he could be left in a similar state. There had certainly been those times she'd left _him _practically bouncing on his hands like a boy in love. Which he was.

"_From what I understand, you've made friends in Tokyo, yes? Akira, this would be a chance for you to go see them while I grab hold of your mother for just a little bit! And your father too since he'd be watching!" _Laughter erupted from the two women and one teenager in the office, and a red-hot blush crept along the face of the head of the Kurusu household. The blush deepened as his wife rose and threw her arms around him, planting a kiss against his chest in plain view of her son and European friend. _"So, Akira, what do you think?" _

He'd like to say he'd kept his composure, but Akira had given an immediate yes. Only a second afterward did he sheepishly look over to his father.

"_You realize you'll likely be missing maybe two days of school, potentially even three, right?" _Kunihiro tried to sound serious, he really did, but seeing the twinkle in his son's eyes, he couldn't fully bring himself to sound as imposing as he wanted to. Not to mention much like his son, _he _wanted to go to Tokyo. After all, the very same man who'd taken in his son had become a close friend of his as well. _"Flore, will everything be set up for us?" _

"_Da! They already are!" _Explained the German blonde fishing through her temporary office. When she stood back up, she held three train tickets, all of which were no doubt bound for Tokyo. _"Once you step off the station, a chauffeur will be waiting to take you to the designated hotel! Er, fair warning though, Azu, we might be on a bit of a tight schedule. The first day or so you may not be able to spend time with your family." _

The Japanese gymnast waved off the setback. _"Then it'll be some ideal father-son bonding time, eh?"_ Chimed the blue-eyed woman looking to the two men who were her whole world. Only one of them smiled back at her, the other was looking straight on ahead, his eyes twinkling. Azumi made her decision. _"Give Kakushi-san a call tonight. Tell him that I'll head up to Tokyo to teach them. And tell those dancers that they better bring their A-game because __**both **__of us will be teaching those rookies!" _Kunihiro laughed watching his wife and her Germanic friend reach over and high-five one another. He could only pray that the dancers that they would be prepping were ready as when it came to jobs like this, his wife didn't hold back.

It was set, the Kurusu Family would be heading for Tokyo Japan in two days' time. The official reason was that Azumi had been hired to teach a troop of dancers set to perform at the end of the month. Wanting to ensure that the performance was the very best, the best of the best had been called in.

Even if she had no Olympic medals to her name, Azumi Kurusu was still a woman known in her area of expertise, especially when it came to teaching others in the art of dancing. Such a reputation had produced such a lucrative offer.

But Akira wasn't thinking about any of that, though he was most definitely happy for his mother. No, what he was thinking of was where she'd be teaching, in Tokyo. They'd obviously have to stay for a few days, maybe even for some leisure time; all of which gave him an opportunity to sneak out and find his former teacher-maid-turned-lover.

For almost the entirety of the ride back home he was bouncing with excitement, his mind whirling at all the possibilities. By the time they'd backed into the driveway, he was unlocking the car door inside. Having heard them, Morgana was there waiting on the couch, his ears perked up sensing the positive aura projected by his owner.

"Mind telling me what's up?" He called.

"We're going to Tokyo!" Jubilantly called back the teenager.

"What?! Really?!" Exclaimed the feline bounding after him.

Trailing after them was Mr. and Mrs. Kurusu. The former wrapped an arm over his wife's shoulder as he looked on with a smile; the footsteps of his son bounding up the stairs were a welcome sound in his ears.

"I think he's got a girl back in Tokyo."

Azumi looked to her husband with a smirk. "Why, Kuni, whatever could have given you that thought?"

Chuckling, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Call it a hunch of mine. Whoever she is, I'm sure he'll give her a call, or at least try to see her."

His wife looked to him with an inquiry look. "Hmmm, sounds like someone's pretty curious."

"Like I'm the only one." Playfully fired back the professional designer. "On a more personal front, I do want to see Sojiro again and this Futaba that's apparently the second child we never had."

Laughing at the mental image, Azumi deposited her bag on the counter then reached for the frig. They'd driven straight home from the gym thus hadn't stopped to consider what they might be eating for dinner. Cooking was an option, but something told her that their son probably wasn't in the right frame of mind to do that. Briefly, she did toy with the possibility of trying to coax some details about this mysterious someone out of him while cooking dinner, but Azumi ultimately decided against doing so.

As such, it was Chinese takeout, something that Kunihiro didn't particularly complain about as he had a love for Chinese food more than her or Akira. In fact, it was likely thanks to him that the latter two had gained a taste for it. Even Morgana had given it a nibble or two when he decided to order off the seafood menu; it'd certainly helped in getting the building designer to more openly accept the blue-eyed feline into the family.

While waiting, they noted the quietness originating from their son's room upstairs. They'd given him ten minutes of personal time before calling up and asking him what he wanted from off the menu. After that Akira had no doubt gone back to talking on the phone, such was the thing a teenager did.

"You know, you're right, I'm _really _curious as to who this girl could be." Azumi admitted. "Do you think it could be that Makoto girl? Or perhaps that one called Haru? Oh, talking about my son's love life, just the sort of thing I always dreamed of doing!"

"And you got on me about playing matchmaker at one point." Mumbled the black-haired man causing his wife to playfully hit him. "Azumi…"

Curled up in her arms, the blue-eyed woman smiled at him. "And you wonder how it's possible for our son to have ended up becoming a thief." Since they were alone, at least for the time being, she thought it was alright to be a bit frisky. He of course blushed as she threw her arms around his neck and peppered his face with kisses.

Of course, they both knew now wasn't the time or place for anything too…intimate. They could wait a couple of days, preferable when they'd perhaps have a hotel room to themselves and their son was out and about enjoying his youth. That couldn't be too hard, could it?

* * *

_**Friday, 7:13 AM…**_

Fortunately, the forecast had been correct in predicting that the rain plaguing Tokyo would end come Saturday. Sadayo looked out the window and found puddles everywhere, but no overcast, only a bright sun in a blue sky. Granted, the temperature was still no doubt going to hover between the fifties and forties meaning one would need a jacket if they expected to stay warm. Others would continue to hack it and continue on as if it were spring instead of fall. Sadayo knew a few kids at Shujin had made such a foolish declaration, or one close to it proclaiming they wouldn't buddle up until they saw first snow. That was still a month or two away at best. She could only hope if they caught a cold it didn't risk expanding to the rest of the student body.

Of course, the top story of the morning was yet another one of would-be-Prime Minister's Shido's associates being tried in court. And another one caught trying o flee the country after all attempts at avoiding charges failed. And then another…who'd committed suicide.

Sadayo paid the news passing mind, knowing it'd probably be a discussion topic amongst her fellow teachers and even some of her students. Not to mention a part of her felt a near sense of duty to watch. After all, it was ultimately by the hands of her boyfriend that the schemes of these men were being exposed and most of them brought to justice.

But Sadayo Kawakami was an emotional person, and even the lowest could at times tug at her heartstrings. She knew what it felt like to be swallowed up in despair, and that was a fate she didn't think she could bring herself to force upon anyone. She herself had come dangerously close to crossing the despair event horizon, were it not for her student, her boyfriend, her guardian angel and life light, she'd have hurled past it and probably taken the only discernable way out if worse came to worse.

And now she was on the cusp of meeting that guardian angel again, right after she'd led her students to an academic victory.

"You can do this, Sadayo! You can do this!" She repeated again and again in the mirror, slapping her cheeks. After three weeks of prep, Shujin Academy was on its way to a district wide spelling bee with her as the team coach. Who'd have thought?

A younger, more idealistic Sadayo Kawakami would have thought so. That version of her would have been over the moon to be in this position.

Now, as for the part about receiving encouragement from one of her former students, who also happened to be her underaged boyfriend? Sadayo was sure her green-faced self would have fainted.

Rather than lose strength, she gained strength when she came out of the bathroom and looked down at her phone.

_**You can do it! **_

_**-Akira "Master" Kurusu**_

"You bet your ass I can." Whispered the language arts teacher holding the smart phone to her chest. She could have sworn the words were spoken by Akira himself, that he was right here in the kitchen with her. If he was no doubt, he'd have given her a good luck kiss, either on the lips or on the forehead.

If all went well, she'd be getting a congratulatory kiss…amongst several other things.

Yet another benefit to her relationship with Akira was a rather amicable personal connection with Sojiro Sakura, aka one of the best coffee brewers in Tokyo. Sojiro had also slipped her a note of encouragement along with some coffee beans and other breakfast ingredients when she stopped by Leblanc last night.

"_Sakura-san, I can't thank you enough for this." _

"_Don't worry about it. After all you've done for Akira, speaking of which, you plan on bringing him here for a date? I can close down the shop if you want. Or you two could stop by afterhours…" _The goateed man got off a good laugh at her expanse. Sadayo wondered if Akira had inherited some of his charms with women from the coffee shop owner; it wouldn't have surprised her in the slightest.

"_S-S-Sakura-san, A-Akira's parents will be in town!" _

"_Yep, I know Kunihiro and Azumi. If you want, I could find a way to entertain them for a while. Maybe give you and Akira some alone time…"_

The smile never left his face as he bid her farewell and a goodnight, and Sadayo's face couldn't stop blushing as she walked home. Upon hitting the couch, she had to admit a part of her _did _give the idea some thought.

A final decision on such a move could wait until after the spelling bee was over, and hopefully Shujin was victorious.

Much to her relief, when she arrived at school, she could see her students had looked mostly ready. That relief lasted until she got to the teacher's lounge, or at least the front door of it.

"I don't suppose I need to tell you what's at stake and that every student will be under your care while you are gone thus-"

"Yeah, yeah, if anything goes wrong it'll be my head. I got it the first four times." With a roll of her eyes, Sadayo walked right on past her least favorite coworker, disregarding the cold glare Ms. Chouno shot at her.

"I can't believe of all the possible teachers they could have picked, they chose you." She huffed.

Spinning on her heel, the messy-haired brunette fired back. "Maybe because they wanted us to have a decent chance of winning, or at least making the top three. Out of every language teacher in this school, I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who fits the bill. If they wanted sixth or seventh place, they'd definitely have chosen you."

Teachers were supposed to be the adults, the responsible ones. The resulting "oohs", "ahhs", and outright laughter disproved that wasn't always the case. Not helping things was the steam blowing out of Ms. Chouno's face as she stared back at Sadayo.

There was a whistle from her right. "Looks like someone woke up ready to go." Chimed in an amused voice that caused Sadayo to chuckle.

"What can I say, Xú-san, it's a big day and I know it's make-it-or-break it." Answered the Japanese woman to her Chinese college. "And yes, I know it's just a spelling bee, but it's a district-wide one and depending on how the kids do, they could end up getting a scholarship."

The Chinese teacher's smirk softened. "Spoke like a true teacher. Very well then, I'll wish you luck, and Chouno-san, don't walk into your classroom with that face! You'll freak the kids out!" With booming laughter, the still freshly-hired physics teacher left the lunge, his emptied cup of coffee being deposited into the garbage bin. On his way out, he threw his hand up. Ms. Chouno looked from her fuzzy-haired college to the black-haired man; it felt like she wanted to rip Xú's hand off then perhaps take a whack at Sadayo with it.

As luck would have it, in the teacher's lounge was yet another college of hers, one that Sadayo felt was on her way to earning the friend definition. "So, can I get an official diagnose? Am I being a bit too confident? Boastful?"

Takuto laughed in upbeat humor. "I'd say…no. Mostly on account of the fact you've been working with these kids and you know your stuff. Besides, even though I'm only part-time, I'm rooting for you."

"Thank you, Maruki-san."

Rising, if there was any word that could be used to describe the atmosphere, that was probably it. While it wasn't a grand affair like a cross-country field trip or a sports game, the spelling bee was still an event that was talked about in the hallways by a surprising number of students, and a good chunk of the teachers. While there were most certainly those who didn't care for it, they knew what it meant for the school's reputation. If it was a victory, even so much as second or third place, it would boost Shujin's reputation and prove they still had some of their luster. If it was a loss, well, everyone hoped things would never quite get as bad as the immediate fallout of Kamoshida's arrest.

Determination burning in her, Sadayo took role, then proceeded to help load the ten chosen students onto the tour boss. They were indeed going on a field trip, one that would take them to the one of the most prodigious schools in the whole Minato Ward.

* * *

_**GRIPS, 2:27 PM…**_

"Übermensch."

Sadayo blinked in surprise as they got to the buzzer first. Seijirō started off with the spelling, then moved onto the definition. The overman, the "ideal" man, the man who followed his beliefs through and through, heedless of what others thought of him, or her. One who stood up for their beliefs regardless of what society enforced and walked their path with their head held high, for good or ill. Such a figure could be heroic…and one of absolute terror for they unfastened themselves from the shackles of "common" morality, sometimes viewing such a thing as even being beneath them.

Her hand went to her chest, her heart beating in a steady rhythm. She knew someone who might qualify for an Übermensch, who also happened to led several others. Hell, some of his spirit had rubbed off on her, allowing for her to push past some boundaries she'd previously thought unpassable.

Looking up high at her two students, she smiled at them. Three more words came, and Shujin Academy had their hands on the buzzer, and when they spoke it was with measured confidence. On the fourth question, the opposition finally managed to get to the buzzer faster and score a point. Which also turned out to be the last one they gained before the judges concluded the match.

And proclaimed Shujin Academy to have taken first place.

Sadayo would have liked to have said that they reacted with grace and casual acceptance of their victory.

Except not really. Like the rest of her students, she jumped from her seat and pumped her fists into the air, screaming in triumph at the top of her lungs. On stage, Seijirō and Iehisa threw their arms around one another and practically began to jump up and down in excitement. Thankfully, Shujin's occupants weren't the only ones in an excited uproar, albeit they were the loudest. Spectators who'd come from all across the city, and even the country, all clapped and applauded. Amongst them Sadayo recognized some Shujin alumni who'd no doubt come hoping that their old school would be able to continue to bounce back. She felt proud in validating their hopes; that said, she knew the ones truly responsible were the students who'd stuck through long hours of memorizing words and definitions. All of which had borne wonderful fruit.

Even before they were all called up to be on stage, she was on the receiving end of a series of bearhugs from her students, some outright in tears. Smiling in content bliss, she reached forward and patted several of their hands as if they were her own children. In some ways, they were, and it was a bond that she deeply treasured.

Expectedly, they all lined up on stage to be presented with their award. The trophy was doubtlessly going in Shujin's trophy cabinet, the first new addition in almost a year. It'd be a welcome addition after the medals and awards granted by Kamoshida's efforts had been removed. The school had been quite hungry for some replacements and Sadayo knew she'd just fulfilled that request. On a personal note, her students were being given medals that they could take home and hold onto and be proud of. That was more than enough for her.

As she stood on stage listening to the speech, Sadayo's mind drifted beyond the auditorium's walls to the outside world. When she met up with Akira, she'd at least have something positive to tell him. Not to mention she'd have yet another thing to think him for.

_If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be able to stand up here, I wouldn't have been able to coach these kids the way that I ended up doing. _She mused sparing a side glance at the lined up students, her students. To varying degrees, they were all smiling. Sure, there were some who tried to keep some composure, but the hints of joy and accomplishment were definitely there. Others such as Seijirō and most importantly Ieshisa weren't even trying to hide it. She couldn't help but smile, even as she bit back the urge to perhaps walk over and whisper into some of their ears that there was nothing wrong with a little gloating.

They'd certainly be doing a lot of that over the next couple of days, and she knew for a fact that the vice principals would be holding this latest achievement up at meetings and dinner parties.

"Kawakami-sensei!" Called an upbeat voice, pulling her from her future pondering.

"Hm?" All of the students had assembled together for a group photo, Ieshia calling out to her as she was their coach and mentor. Seeing them all together, smiling and laughing and welcoming her though, Sadayo couldn't help but feel the makings of tears on her eyes. She brushed them away as she made her way over. "You guys are the best." She whispered moving in behind the assembled group.

"Only because we had a great coach." Seijirō chuckled, which caused a chain reaction amongst the rest of the students. They all quieted down moments before the picture was taken.

That year, under the leadership of Sadayo Kawakami, Shujin Academy became the spelling bee champions of the Minato Ward, and come the new year would be on their way to competing in a multi-district spelling bee. Also with Sadayo Kawakami coaching, something that several students would tell you was a _requirement_.

Far beyond the walls of the prestigious college, a young man looked up to the sky and smiled. He was questioned on this, the only answer he was able to give was a light-hearted shrug. Only he would know of the reasons why, and the jolt of joy that ran through him wouldn't be the only one he would experience that day.

* * *

_**Daiba, 5:07 PM…**_

Sadayo wanted to laugh at how cliché their meeting place was and the timeframe it had fallen under. Right by the Odaiba bay with a view of the artificial islands including the iconic _Dai-Roku Daiba _in sight, all of which were colored orange and yellow by the fast setting sun. By six o'clock, it'd be dark and the primary illumination would be the city lights. She had faith that long before that happened, her dark-haired lover would arrive.

Quietly, Sadayo enjoyed these little moments of privacy before he found his way to her. Not that she didn't long to have him at her side, but there were times when she knew she needed to be alone with her thoughts. Needless to say, the setting was perfect. A seemingly deserted stretch of the harbor and a beautiful fall sunset stretched out before her.

Being the romantic she was, Sadayo knew this was the moment when the heroine contemplated her future, which was exactly what she did. _Today…I just coached an academic team to victory…I've already celebrated with my students, and instead of continuing to celebrate with my fellow teachers, I'm going to be doing that with my boyfriend. My secret underaged boyfriend. _Gradually, the proclamation had become one of serene happiness almost entirely free of any sort of shame or embarrassment. While the taboo nature of their relationship never completely left her mind, Sadayo had begun to lean more towards the good it brought. The good that it had brought in her life, and his as well.

It might have been bold of her to say it, but she believed that's what love was like.

He'd made quite a number of friends and acquaintances in Tokyo, namely his band of fellow teenagers who'd helped him overturn a corrupt system and keep the country from falling into the hands of a tyrant, two to be precise. And instead of meeting with any of them first…he was choosing to come see her.

_Well, of course he is! You're his girlfriend! He better damn well make us at least a top three-visits! _Mocked an inner voice in her head. Sadayo chuckled at it. That must have been the _really _romantic side of her; it's not like she could argue with it though. She certainly felt a swell of joy in being the first person Akira sough following his return to Tokyo. "We've come so far from a maid and her master…" Whispered the brunette with a soft smile.

"Yep, we're a man and a woman…in love, wouldn't you agree?"

Surprisingly, she kept her reaction…contained. Girlish giggles slipped past her lips as she kept her gaze focused ahead toward the water. "Yeah, I'd say that's about accurate. And a like a good man…you came back to your woman, even knowing the risk you were taking."

An arm wrapped around her waist sending shivers up her spine.

"The woman's worth it…and the man tries hard to make all the risks the woman takes worth it as well." Softly replied the former Phantom Thief beside her.

She'd been able to contain herself for a total of ninety-seconds. Squealing in delight she spun on her heels and threw her arms around the seventeen-year-old who'd take up space beside her. Laughing in equal joy, the teenager threw his arms around his former teacher; both basked in the warmth the other provided, physically and emotionally.

"God, I've missed you so much." Akira whispered as he buried his face in her characteristically fluffy hair. He was so glad she hadn't changed that aspect of herself.

"Likewise, Aki-kun." Replied back the brunette. She could feel her legs on the cusp of liquifying while nuzzling her chest. "I'm…I…I wasn't worried that you'd make it to Tokyo, I just…well, is it selfish of me that I wanted to be the _first _one to see you? Out of everyone?"

"Not at all. Besides, it's not like anyone will ever know." He soothed. Akira had deeply missed the sensation of running his hands through her dark curls. In a second he recognized the perfume that she was wearing, a brand that she'd picked out while they were out on one of their dates. "Sadayo,"

"Yes?"

Gently, he pushed her way so he could look her in her brown eyes. That was it for him. Throwing away all the restraints, embracing the longing that had been burning in his heart, he leaned in close to kiss her. The language teacher gladly welcomed the act, her hold on his back tightening. They remained lip-locked for as long as they could, the mutual need for air eventually forcing them to break apart. It was only a short break as they were quickly back at one another, clawing and grabbing at one another like they were lifelines.

Eventually, a longer, more meaningful break came about. Both of them were red-faced and panting.

She cradled his face as a smile blossomed along her face. "We won."

"Called it." Chirped the teenager stealing another kiss from her. "So, next up is the cross-district tournament, right?"

He'd been keeping up, further proof that his dedication to her hadn't wavered. "Think we have a shot?"

"So long as you're coaching the team, definitely." Akira said connecting their foreheads. "Those kids were, no, they are lucky to have you." He added causing her cheeks to blush bright pink. Apparently, he hadn't lost his ability to sweet talk her. "How's the rest of the gang doing?"

"Just fine, especially Ryuji who's been making headway." Yet another odd…friendship it could be called, as a result of Akira. It might have been personal, but she'd taken some time off to help tutoring the dyed blond. Much to her joy, the drive to succeed academically had been there. What she didn't tell her boyfriend was that what was fueling it was more than just some friendly encouragement; she'd kept a close eye on the former track star, partially out of an obligation to her boyfriend, and partially out of her recommitted drive to teaching. She'd liked what she'd come to observe. "If you want…I could tell you about it when we have some…free time."

His chuckle, good Lord, his masculine chuckling, his _laughter_, it rung in her ears. That, and then there was the soft drumming of his fingers against her sides. Sadayo's mouth opened in a repressed moan; it was no longer repressed as she felt her black-haired love plant a gentle kiss upon her neck. Truthfully…she _missed _this sort of light-hearted teasing from him, even if it was in the open.

Not to be outdone, the teacher began to slowly rub circles along her young lover's back. Akira himself moaned in delight as he let his head hang atop her shoulder. Smiling, Sadayo continued her actions, gradually sliding her right hand up until she was grasping his ebony-colored curls.

"You have no idea how long I've missed this adorable fuzzy hair of yours." She whispered.

Akira laughed before placing another kiss on her neck that sent a shiver down her spine. "While I'm here, I'll do all that I can give you as much time to play with it as you like."

"I'll have to give you something in return." Sadayo panted.

"You…already have." Gently retorted the teenager. It was he who blushed bright red as his head was pulled back allowing his stormy gray eyes to find Sadayo's dark brown. There was no mistaking the erotic desire that danced within them, especially since the same desire was building within him.

"Oh no, I insist, _Master_." Whispered the brunette once more cradling his face with her gentle hands.

Smiling in delight, Akira dove in for the next kiss, hungrily running his tongue along his girlfriend's mouth. Seconds turned into minutes which seemingly turned into hours before he withdrew. His eyes now held the same ecstasy-laced fire as hers did. "It feels good to be-"

"Back?"

"Exactly." Akira said absent-mindedly leaning in close for another kiss before stopping mid-way. His heart pounded in his ears as the gears in his brain were kicked into overdrive. _Wait a minute, that voice! _Pulling himself free just as Sadayo was about to meet him half-way, the former knife-thrower opened up his senses to the outside.

The wave of anger hit him in full-force causing him to go dead-still, confusing the brunette beauty in his arms. A second later and she too was hit by the angry aura as well causing her eyes to widen.

"Akira…" Came a female voice containing a surging geyser of anger and confusion.

…_Shit. Shit. Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!_

"Akira…" Came the voice again.

Sadayo was doing everything in her power not to look, but as if pulled by some magnetic force, she eventually began to turn her head alongside Akira's.

A four-letter word crossed both their minds in a booming voice as one of the two spectators vocalized her own thoughts.

"Akira," snarled Azumi Kurusu taking a step forward causing her son and the woman in his arms, who'd been _kissing him_, to flinch in fear. Beside her, her husband stared at the pair with a crimson face and gaping mouth. "Who the hell is this woman?! And you," She barked directing her blazing eyes at Sadayo causing her to squeak in fear. "Why the hell were you attempting to seduce my son!?"

Off in the distance, a ship horn blew and a flock of black-feathered birds took to the skies. They were smart in getting away as what was coming next was an explosion of parental fury the likes of which no sane creature wanted to be near. Unfortunately for Akira Kurusu and Sadayo Kawakami…they were in the dead-center of it.

_**To be continued…**_

* * *

**Sooo…can you guess what that four-letter word was? It's one that can be used to sum up any situation that goes south so fast its unreal. And I'm gonna guess some of you might have been chanting it in a different sense as our favorite couple got a little frisky with each other. I've had that one planned out for a while, well before I wrote my Akira/Tae piece. Maybe a bit repetitive, but for Akira and Sadayo, I like dotting their relationship with strange little encounters. Not to mention all the tip-toeing around and it all goes bust on some of the **_**last **_**people you'd want to find out, yet would have to tell eventually for the relationship to continue and maybe even grow is simply too much to pass up. **

**How will this end? Will Sadayo be going for a swim across Tokyo Bay? Will Akira be able to explain himself? All questions that will be answered next chapter when we enter the bread and butter of this story! Also, now that the Kurusu are in Tokyo, expect to see some old faces as the rest of the P5 cast drop in for some guest appearances! **


	3. Chapter 3-Face to Face

**Hello, everyone! Last chapter ended on a major cliff hanger with our favorite teacher-maid and Phantom Thief reuniting and getting some alone time…only to get interrupted. Now here comes the fall out...**

**I do not own anything.**

* * *

_**Chapter 3-Face to Face**_

The number of times Kunihiro and Azumi Kurusu had been to Tokyo could be counted on one hand. In spite of that, they knew less about it than their son, no doubt because their visits had been short while he had an extended stay. He'd made a life there, a life that he was returning to as they sped closer and closer to Japan's iconic capital city. That was certainly the reason why he continuously stared out the window, a look of building joy on his face. For the parents, it'd been years since they'd traveled the railroad that would take them to the city. To Akira's eyes, however, it was all too familiar; to him, it felt like it had just been yesterday when he was watching it on fly by on his way _from _Tokyo instead of to it. It was yet another reminder of how odd life could be, and another chance to be thankful for those unexpected oddities.

Kunihiro and Azumi were pleased to see the growing glow on their son's face. It wasn't like he never smiled or showed enthusiasm, he did at several times. But as they sped over the tracks towards the urban jungle, they could see the glow of his face, as if the sun itself were rising after a long and dark night. Without a doubt, it was a sight to behold.

"He's definitely met someone in Tokyo." Whispered the Kurusu Family patriarch to his wife in a quiet voice. She giggled, especially since their son seemed too preoccupied to notice them. Helping the case was the headphones he had in his ears. Kunihiro couldn't exactly say he hated the devices, after all, both he and his wife had a habit of popping their earphones in and tuning out the world just as their son did. His wife was especially guilty of such a habit.

"Any bets on who it is? I'm guessing it's that fluffy-haired brunette." Inquired the gymnast. Stealing a glance at her son, she giggled seeing he was still in his own little world. It was rather jarring how at times, he seemed to possess eyes in the back of his head and the hearing of ability of a bat and the sense of smell of a bloodhound. Those were all times when he had some measure of alertness, however. Given what little he'd explained to her of his Phantom Thief life, she supposed such changes weren't too unexpected; he had dodged death several times over from multiple directions, sometimes by a hair's breath. Balancing things out, when given a moment to rest or dwell on his thoughts he seemed so serene to the point of existing in his own world as he was doing now. "Potential girlfriend aside, I'm wondering who else he's interested in seeing. I'd certainly like to go see Sojiro should we be so lucky."

"We'll carve out some time to see him, don't worry. Besides, something tells me Akira wouldn't consider this trip complete if he wasn't." Responded the black-haired adult. "Not to mention I want to see what Akira can cook up when he has some real ingredients to work with, speaking of which, think he could be a chef when he graduates?"

"I certainly wouldn't be against it, but who knows how many potential admirers he'll be having to fling off." Snickered blue-eyed woman. Like her son, she turned her gaze outward to the window to take stock of the scenery. Gradually, it was becoming more and more urbanized, a sign they were approaching their destination. If Azumi had to take a guess, it'd be perhaps another half hour before they arrived at Tokyo, and even then, the train station they were set to meet up at.

Azumi Kurusu was a bit of a sentimental person, perhaps something that came with being a dancer. It made her an oddity compared to her parents, and arguably the rest of her family; at times she clashed with her brother, and at other times it made them two peas in a pod. All of it had made for a nice fit for her husband and son, both of whom could act on emotion, and arguably their greatest moments came from acting on emotion. Speaking of emotion, she was feeling her own riding just a tad bit high as they drew nearer and nearer to their destination. Perhaps sensing this, she felt her husband's arm wrapping around her shoulders causing her to look up.

Never did she tire of looking into Kunihiro's dark gray eyes, especially in times of deep contemplation. He knew that she was thinking about her first visit to Tokyo, _her _first time visiting the nation's capital city. That had been years ago in her last year in high school when her blooming talents had put her on a bus with several of her classmates on their way to the big city. There'd been someone waiting for her, and she'd been waiting to meet him. Her parents had high expectations…that were promptly shattered when the dust ultimately settled. Azumi hadn't dwelled on it; she'd picked up the pieces and moved on, it was far easier on her than it had been for her folks as she'd never placed much stock in the possible relationship. Secretly, what she had placed stock in was the man whose arms she laid in, the man who'd made her happier than she ever thought possible and given her a light buddle of light that sat across from her.

The mother in her wanted to hold onto that light as they entered the city, knowing that so many things could prey upon her son. On the other hand, she was reminded that Akira had survived in the big city for the better part of a year, and it left him a better person for it. It was two conflicting sides of her that she'd been forced to reconcile, especially when her precious child had returned to her and husband. A small part of her was hoping she'd be able to see what it was that made her son so much more…adventurous, bolder, more willing to step in when he saw something he disagreed with.

Such a wish lingered in her mind as they arrived at Ikebukuro Station and disembarked from the train. It'd been quite a well since either her or her husband had spent so long glued to a single place. Naturally, it was more difficult for her than it was to Kunihiro. To be entirely frank, she never really liked long train rides, but she could do with them if the payoff was worth it. Stepping out of the station, to the crispy fall air and roar and hum of Tokyo, Azumi was willing to say it was worth it. Her ears buzzed with the myriad of sounds that assaulted them, a hundred times more numerous and diverse than those of Meguro. Alongside her son and husband, she leaned her head back and inhaled, taking in a wide whiff of the multitude of smells and odors that marked the big city. It was an odd little habit they all shared, one that had been bolstered by the fact that they'd recently adopted a cat…which could apparently talk.

Akira made a sad comment about how he wasn't able to bring Morgana along. Azumi hadn't directly heard the talk, but she'd seen the blue-eyed feline mournfully moving about the house like his tail had just been clipped. He was sulking in a very human-like manner, which further drove home the fact that the animal's mind was that of a human. Neither she nor Kunihiro were happy about it either, but the train line that they were using had a strict no animals policy, unlike the one that Akira had taken on his return trip home. They'd made promises to bring the cat back some souvenirs from the trip, as well say hi to everyone for him; more accurately, Akira had made that last part, and especially told the feline that he would give Ann his best.

When they'd been shown the faces of the Phantom Thieves of Heart, she and her husband had briefly entertained the thought of their son having fallen for the blonde. The thought was quietly shot down when Akira told them that his pig-tailed friend was already taken, which he did with a hearty chuckle. Looking to one another, then back to the picture, they'd laughed as well. Fortunately, Morgana hadn't been there least he would have likely thrown a feat.

As they rode through the city, Azumi felt her curiosity grow stronger and stronger, especially seeing the excited light in Akira's eyes. There was a chance that it would burst once they got to the hotel.

Sure enough, it did.

"Akira," Began the patriarch of the family catching his son and wife's attention. Throughout the entire trip he'd been quietly observing both of his loved ones. Behind a warm smile, he chuckled at the building energy within them, further proof that they were related. It didn't come as too much of a surprise he was perhaps the most lax of the family of three as he had arguably the least personal connection to this family trip. Even what he knew of the city had likely been surpassed by his son, who he fully trusted to find his way when he was on his own. "Your mom and I can handle unpacking here." Almost immediately, the teenager attempted to counter argue his father, but his words fell short as Kunihiro stepped forward and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Look, you don't have to hide it. Go out there, explore a little, refamiliarize yourself. Besides, in our downtime, we may just end up having to ask you for directions; it's been a while since your mom and I have been in this town."

"Just make sure to watch yourself." Added the blue-eyed dancer as she stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her child. "Call me a bit paranoid, but…I still worry about you."

With a laugh, the black-haired teen leaned into the hug. "I know you always will, and that's how I know you really love me. Don't worry though, I'll be careful when I'm out."

"And promise that you won't blow all of your allowance on something ridiculous?" Jabbed the father with a raised eyebrow that resulted in an impish smile. Sighing in mock defeat, Kunihiro reached forward and rustled his son's curly locks, so very much like his own. "Alright, go out there and have some fun, but try to be back by at least seven, alright? And call us if anything happens, alright?"

"I will."

"You _will_, right?" Pressed his mother with serious blue eyes that Akira knew all too well.

"I promise." Spoke the former Phantom Thief in a firm voice, his face free of any humor or snark. When it came to soothing his mother's fears, he never joked around, not when it mattered. Internally, he frowned in seeing once again how deeply affected his mother had been by all that he had gone through. He could only dread how she'd react to learn even more of the truth, like how for a brief moment, he had been _erased _from existence along with his friends. "I promise, I'll be back by then, and between now and then, I'll keep myself out of trouble."

Finally, a smile came to her face. Leaning forward, she planted a motherly kiss on his cheeks. The act caused her normally cool-headed son to blush, right in view of his father, who laughed. Just as he'd inherited a number of traits from her, so too had he inherited some from him. Namely how he responded to affection from the Kurusu Family matriarch.

With that same spring in his step, he gathered his things and headed for the door, leaving the married couple by their lonesome in the hotel room. All too quickly, Azumi leaned into her husband's arms, quietly humming to herself. It didn't go unnoticed by him.

"So…you're…thinking about doing that?" Vocalized the interior architect in a sing-song voice.

His wife elbowed him. "Don't try to pin all of this on me, I know you're thinking about it too. If not Tomiko, then who? Akira's our son meaning he has high standards. Aren't you the least bit curious as to what sort of woman he met in this great big city who met them?"

There was a pause, then a response. "I am, and like you, it's probably because I…I just want to protect him, or maybe I'm being a bit too protective." Some days it was hard to tell who was more overprotective, him or his wife. Akira never give any input on who it was, in fact, he never gave any input on it at all in spite of the fact that he had every right to say something about them borderline smothering him. He'd given them small signs they'd taken a hint of, but the worry remained, it probably would for the next few months. "Hey, how's about we focus on the actual reason we cam here, huh?"

"That sounds like a great idea, especially since I'm going to be quite busy."

"Yes, and some poor dancers are about to find out what true training looks like."

The brunette cradled her husband's face and reached up to kiss him. They had some free time before they had to set out, so a moment or two spared to themselves wouldn't hurt, would it?

* * *

_**Shibaura, 4:31 PM…**_

As with most things in the modern age, it all started with a phone call. Kunihiro had made it, a periodic check-up on their son who they'd last seen close to two hours ago. He told them that he was doing fine and heading down to Daiba. Against his better knowledge, the interior designer had chosen not to mention that he and his wife were within walking distance of the harbor, that they'd finished up for the evening and were free. To do as they pleased.

Upon placing the phone down, he looked at it, his face contorting in thought.

"You know…we could…" His wife offered.

"Azumi." The curly-haired man attempted to argue. "It'd be a breach of his privacy, it'd-"

"Only if he finds out about it! Besides, we can be stealthy! All we'll do is just drop in on him for a little peak and that'll be it! No problem at all!" Cried the gymnast, her face still a little sweaty from giving a demonstration to her new pupils. They were a mixture of nationalities, something that she was rather happy for. And they were somewhat surprised when she spoke to them in their native French, Russian, and Chinese showing herself to be well-rounded. Needless to say, it'd made quite an impression, some would say a fearsome which, all of which was witnessed by her husband.

Said husband was looking at her with a silently accusatory stare. "And you're curious as to rather or not we'll meet this mystery girl, aren't you?"

Not one to be outdone, Azumi crossed her arms and returned her husband's stare. "So are you."

And that was how they'd caught two buses and began walking the somewhat chilly but still pleasant harbor area. True to their original prediction, they took great care in watching the surroundings around them, particularly being on the lookout for their son. The last thing they wanted was for him to spot them and a series of questions to follow.

Luck seemed to be on their side as they spotted him almost ten minutes after coming down to the harbor. Thankfully, he failed to notice them, causing Kunihiro and Azumi to sigh in relief, and begin to quietly tail Akira. While neither would say it, they felt giddy with anticipation over what they would find, if they'd find anything at all. Preparing for the worst, Kunihiro advised his wife to set her phone to vibrate as he did. Even if Flore had told them that the work day was done, they were both used to sudden calls telling them that wasn't quite true.

That, and the married couple had seen enough movies to know when a phone call at the wrong time meant an absolute disaster.

They maintained a respective distance from Akira, though they made sure to keep out of sight. Kunihiro and Azumi could tell that their son's mind was elsewhere as normally, he'd have taken notice of their presence well before he reached his destination. It was further proof that he was on his way to meet someone special. The parents felt their curiosity reach a fervor peach as they hid behind trees and bushes while their son moved out into the open. He'd taken a rather round-about way to getting down to the coast.

Which was exactly where that special someone was waiting for him.

The parents opened their ears and listened intently to the words that they could hear.

"While I'm here, I'll do all that I can give you as much time to play with it as you like." That was their son's voice, sounding quite…seductive. The parents of the enigmatic Joker felt chills run up their spines; the tone brought forth some rather…interesting memories.

"I'll have to give you something in return." Came the response. They were flirting.

"You…already have." Yep, _definitely _flirting.

Kunihiro reached the edge of the bushes first, and what he saw caused his mouth to drop. His stormy-gray eyes swelled up and a gasp escaped his throat. Sparing her husband a slight glance, her interest in the woman their son was speaking to finally exploded. Her blue eyes peered forward, and like the man she loved with all her heart, her expression became one of shock. Azumi had been expecting a girl, perhaps a cute one…but she wasn't expecting a _woman_. Having something of a knack of reading people, both physically and mentally, the brunette was able to tell in a heartbeat that the woman embracing her son was an adult, no ifs or doubts about it. And she was flirting with her son.

"Oh no, I insist, _Master_." The words were delivered in what was a downright seductive voice, as if spoken by a succubus. Spotless hands reached up to cradle Akira's face and honey-brown eyes stared longing into his.

Azumi's mind flashed back to one of the darkest points in her life. Her brain fizzled and her vision blurred. While the woman was a brunette, Azumi saw black hair bordering on dark blue. Her heart leaped in her chest; when it slammed backward, it sent a jolt through her legs that had them moving forward. Azumi couldn't hear the startled gasp of her husband, who no doubt was trying to stop her while trying to make sense of what they were seeing in front of them.

"It feels good to be-"

"Back?" Azumi cut-off, her voice low and tight as she stomped across the grass onto the pavement.

"Exactly." Akira said absent-mindedly leaning in close for another kiss before stopping mid-way. It took him around two seconds to register the sound of her voice, and probably the anger in it.

Anger that grew as she repeated his name, "Akira,"

She could tell that he was cursing, probably using every curse word he knew including a certain four-letter one she'd banned him from saying in her presence. No doubt her growing aura of maternal anger kept him from verbalizing it, though the phrase was probably running through his mind. And that of the woman whom he held in his arms. She looked like a deer in the headlights, which was exactly what she was.

Azumi bore her fangs. "Akira," Her son jumped, as did the brunette who clung to him in fright. A minute ago, she'd been kissing him like her life depended on it, only stopping when one of them ran out of air, and they would have kept on going if Azumi hadn't interfered. "Who the hell is this woman?! And you," she barked pointing a finger at the mysterious woman. "Why the hell were you attempting to seduce my son?!"

At her side, stood Kunihiro, red-faced and slack-jawed as he looked between his wife, his son, and the mysterious woman whom he'd sought after. He wasn't engulfed in an aura of anger like his wife, something he found a bit troubling, but it'd be a lie to say that he wasn't confused a little angered by what he was seeing. He'd known that his son had been…light on some of the details regarding his life in Tokyo. Some of those details, he was guessing, were pretty big. The interior designer could say that his guess was right…but it was more right than he ever thought possible. And this was one detail that he was _seriously _sending his mind into a tailspin.

"A-A-Akira? Akira…this…who…?" Still with his mouth agape, he quietly sized up the woman who'd been smooching with his son. First and foremost, she wasn't a teenage girl like he and his wife had been expecting, which was perhaps the biggest shocker. She was an adult woman, perhaps a few years younger than the two of them. Her dark brown hair was, ironically enough, more on the fuzzy and curly side much like his and his son's were. It was short, barely reaching past her neck much like his wife's. As was the case with several women, she was shorter than Akira, and if Kunihiro had to venture a guess, that little detail had come up once or twice in their relationship. Wait, had he just admitted that there was a relationship here?!

Caught between his parents' gazes, one furious and the other justifiably confused, Akira reacted on sheer impulse. He moved in front of Sadayo, his hand going out and his back to her as he faced his parents. He was nowhere near as confident confronting them as he had been in battling shadows, Palace Owners, his former rival, the tyrant who'd ruined his life, and finally a mad god of order. All of them were second and third-rate compared to the two people standing before him, two people he loved and respected more than anything.

And they'd just caught him in the act with his girlfriend, with his _adult_ girlfriend who also happened to be his former teacher. Not that they knew that last part.

Except he wouldn't be able to keep it a secret for long. "D-D-D-Dad, m-m-mom, I-I-I can explain!" He cried, sweat pouring down his brow in spite of the November chill rolling across the harbor. "T-This is…this is…"

"Akira, so help me if the next words out of your mouth are a lie, you're grounded until you graduate!" Roared his mother causing the normally cool and collected teenager to jump. He could fight Shadows, a rogue Persona-user, and a god…but against his mother's wrath, well, he was as helpless as one of the leaves being blown by the window in the background.

It was then that the one at the center of this brewing storm spoke up, her voice shaky. "M-My name i-i-is S-S-Sadayo Kawakami! I-I'm y-your son's girl-ep!" Though she'd tried to speak up, the fierce gaze of the Kurusu Family matriarch fell on her, silencing her. Sadayo recalled a conversation shared between her and her boyfriend while they enjoyed a date in the rainy October weather.

"_Between the two of them? My mom, without a doubt…she's the scariest woman that I've ever known. Way scarier than Sae-san, Ms. Chuno, or any other woman I've ever met." _There was a beat as he looked to her with a sideways grin. Next came him wrapping his arm around her waist, bringing them closer together getting a blush out of the teacher. _"Albeit when you get angry, I'll say you're coming up on a close second. It's another reason why I like you." _

"_I-Is that supposed to be a compliment?"_ She retorted with a blushing face.

"_Well, call me a bit of a masochist, but I like it when a woman can show how fiery she can be. You certainly can be, Sadayo." _The teenager had chuckled. In the face of his words and actions, all she could do was sigh, and laugh. It was further proof that Akira Kurusu was a dare devil, but also another clue as to what he saw in her.

The reward for that little exchange had been a kiss as thunder boomed in the background.

That conversation had taken on a whole new meaning in light of the events playing out before her.

While she'd been having her walk down memory-lane, Azumi's anger had been…condensing so to say. "And you were making out with my son why? You were calling him 'Master', why?" Her gaze swerved over to Akira, who flinched quite badly at it.

Kunihiro groaned as he ran a pair of hands over his face, something he often did when presented with something that truly tested his mental endurance. "Please tell me that's not a pet name."

"It is." Akira absent-mindedly said. His girlfriend wasn't the only one in a fear-induced confessional mood. Not to mention a voice in his head was telling him that honesty was the best option. Even if it did give his parents heart attacks when they got it.

"Akira!" His father cried.

The former Phantom Thief opened his mouth to speak, but his girlfriend beat him to the punch. "I gave it to him! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Her heart was thundering in her chest, about to burst out any second. Even if that were to happen, she'd power through it. She took the first steps to do so as she placed a hand on Akira's shoulder. When he looked to her, she couldn't help but smile. _Even if…even if it ends here, I'm one of the luckiest women alive to have met a guy like you, and been loved by you. _Steeling herself, she stepped forward, bringing herself into the full line of sight of the Papa and Mama Kurusu. She could quite easily see the resemblance of her lover in both of them, especially his mother whose sharp eyes were a dead ringer for Akira's when enraged.

"You were attempting to seduce my son." Azumi began, crossing her arms and very much looking quite imposing. She seemed a giant in spite of being a rather no taller than Sadayo herself. It made for an odd correlation with her son, whose impressive stature made him quite a fearsome figure when he wanted to be. "You were practically talking like a hooker."

"Mom!" Snapped the knife-wielder. It was the first time he'd looked to his mother with a sense of anger in weeks, months even, and even then, those times were never quite as intense as this. "I know you're angry, but this is taking it a bit too-"

"Akira, we don't even know what this is! Or who she is!" Fired back the boy's mother.

"Sadayo…Kawakami, correct?" Began Kunihiro Kurusu, driving a wedge between his wife and son. He knew them both to be incredibly strong-willed people, which meant that a clash between them would be nothing short of titanic. "Look, I'm just going to go off of what I've seen and say that you're our son's girlfriend, correct?"

"Y-Yes sir." She said in a semi-calm voice. At the very least someone was keeping a cool head, for the moment anyway.

The teenager looked to his father with a bepuzzled expression. "I never said that I had a girlfriend."

In spite of the mood, the older Kurusu smiled at his offspring. "You didn't need to, we could tell from the signs, scattered as they were." As he thought, his words came as a shock to Akira. The moment of silence that followed was no doubt him looking back on his previous actions and mannerisms and realizing that he'd been incredibly obvious, at least around his parents. Then again, they were his parents so reading his emotions wasn't particularly hard for them, sometimes anyway. The familial mood ended just as soon as it had descended with Kunihiro turning his gaze to Sadayo. It was much less soft. "Now look, I'm not trying to be offensive, but I'm going to guess you're…over twenty-five, correct?"

Following after his lead, the homeroom teacher gave a weak chuckle. "Thirty-three."

That was the first checkbox cleared, albeit it wasn't like things would get easier from there.

Akira knew that extremely well as he was the recipient of both his parents' gazes. It wasn't like he'd gone out and gotten together with someone _too_ old. He was more than half his girlfriend's age, and she herself was younger than both of them, which was a plus. On the other hand, she was beyond the threshold of thirty, hell, her beyond the age of _twenty-five _was enough to incite concern and panic in a person. Akira winced as he watched his parents look over the woman he loved like she was scientific specimen. Two sides of him battled against one another, on one hand there was the near instinctive urge he felt to defend Sadayo, but it was _who _he'd be defending her against that caused the other side of him rise up and roar. From the bottom of his heart he truly loved his parents. Three people that he deeply loved, and they were on opposite sides; it was a nightmare scenario he'd seen on others and on the TV screen, but now it was all very real, and happening to him.

Someone somewhere was laughing; Akira wanted to hope that another was wishing him luck even though what was happening was the encounter he'd been dreading and hoped no one would ever know about.

"So, our son is little over half your age." Kunihiro breathed out, almost in relief. Giving her another glance, he breathed out another seeing that she hadn't taken offence to his inquiry. Looking to his left where his wife stood, he wasn't surprised to find she hadn't dropped her guard; she was still eyeing Sadayo Kawakami like a hawk. Their son had slipped into a similar state of mind as he looked ready to defend the adult woman from his mother at a moment's notice. He always was no doubt trying to figure out what had invoked such a strong reaction from her. Unfortunately, to explain his son what that reason was would take a while, and some privacy. Speaking of which, Kunihiro couldn't help but feel this wasn't the place to be having this discussion.

Thankfully, Azumi caught his aside glance, though it was still a coin toss on rather or not she was willing to move this some place else. Exactly where else could they move this?

"Kawakami-san," Started the gymnast giving the former maid an intense look that practically had her squirming where she stood. "We are going to take you back to our hotel, where we will get the answers to every question that we have out of you." Her blue eyes swiftly moved over to Akira.

"Can't we just talk here?"

A brief break his mother's serious demeanor came. "Akira, we are not going to have a family discussion regarding your apparent over-aged girlfriend in public. Especially since someone could recognize either of you." There was a pause as she took in a deep breath. "Or hear one of us shouting to high heaven."

Immediately, Akira thought of one place that they could go to, one place where he and Sadayo would have the advantage so to speak. Then he remembered that at this time, Leblanc would have still been open and taking in customers, not to mention it could have potentially ended up dragging Sojiro into this. Albeit he was already going to be involved in this, but Akira didn't want to drag him in like this, potentially having him face down the wrath of his parents.

Just as his parents had locked eyes, so too did he and Sadayo. In that look, he could tell that she was thinking the exact same thing as him, and no doubt arrived to the same conclusion. She had no wish to put Sojiro and perhaps even Futaba, in the crossfires of what this, at least not when it was entirely preventable. Then again, how long would they be able to hold off? How long would it be before his name came up? It would when the inevitable question, "Who else knew?" was asked and they were forced to confess the truth. At the very least that part would likely leave them less angered as it's not like they were left out of the loop. The loop itself was rather small, but Akira knew from this moment onward it was going to grow.

He always had a gut feeling it would start with his parents, but surely not like this.

Shocking him was a warm feeling spreading up from his head; it caused his heart to skip a beat. Turning to his left, he breathed out a sigh of relief seeing his girlfriend's face, an encouraging smile there and just for him. In that instead, the worries and fears threatening to overwhelm him were held back, pushed back, if only for a moment at best.

The interaction didn't go unnoticed by the two adults, both of whom possessed extremely sharp eyes, especially when it came to their son.

What they saw was something they took note of, something that they knew would play a part in the next few hours, next few nights. Kunihiro's lips briefly ticked upward into a smile; he felt like he was looking into a portal into the past. Stealing a glance at his wife, he found that she was no doubt having a similar experience. Azumi dared to meet his gaze. The fury had faded from her eyes as she'd seen it, the thing that put her worries to slight ease.

She'd seen that perhaps, her worst fears wouldn't be realized in this woman.

But that wasn't a sure-fire thing, not yet anyway.

* * *

_**Shijiyama Hotel, 5:55 PM…**_

To say that Sadayo Kawakami was nervous would have been a colossal understatement. It was amazing how fast one could go from feeling like they're on top of the world to practically awaiting their execution. She supposed it was an unwanted wake up call, but she wasn't about to cower in fear.

Okay, she was still doing some of that, particularly when she felt the piercing gaze of Azumi Kurusu on her. The woman had the eyes of a hawk, and Sadayo knew she was little more than some forest rodent desperately seeking cover. Luckily, cover came to her as several times throughout the cab ride back to their hotel, Akira's hand found hers and gave it a supportive squeeze as she'd done to him. With each other, Sadayo felt herself grow somehow less and less afraid of the occasional glares that the matriarch of the Kurusu Family threw at her. On top of that, Sadayo couldn't help but get the feeling that somehow, the gymnast wasn't so much glaring at _her _per say, but something or someone behind her. It was mystery, but then again, this entire meeting was one that had been veiled in secrecy and surprise. Sadayo knew that as time went on and the explanations came out, all would gradually become revealed in time.

Time moved on, bringing them to the hotel that the Kurusus had been assigned to stay at during their visit in Tokyo. The brunette teacher bit back a chuckle seeing it was perhaps a four or even five-star hotel the likes of which she never could have dreamed of staying in. Akira leaned in close and whispered to her that they weren't technically paying for the stay, their "sponsor" was, and he did it with a chuckle.

By far and away, the lobby area beat that of the one that she and her students had stayed at during their trip to Hawaii. Doubtlessly, the two were on different scales as this was a place for the admittedly wealthy and high-up to stay at. Almost immediately, she felt out of place in this place, but yet again, Akira's hand was there, giving her support. His constant presence gave her the ability to hold her head up high and calm herself. As far as the dozens or so people in the lobby were concerned, she was just someone there to conduct some nightly business, just as most of them no doubt were. Akira never let go of her hand even as they moved into the elevator. The ride up was thankfully quiet all around.

Sadly, it also felt like rather than going up, she was descending down into the depths of the fiery earth.

There was a ding, then the door slid open and into the hallway they stepped. No one said a word as they moved in unison before stopping at a door into which Kunihiro inserted a keycard into. There was a click and then he pushed it open, and held it open for all including Sadayo herself. She was grateful she felt no glare at her back as she moved past him.

Their hotel room was nothing short of what Sadayo had expected. A mixture of traditional and modern that included an entirely separate room for the beds, a sliding screen door separating the bedroom from the living room and small kitchen and balcony. As it just so happened, the living room included a coffee table with four chairs that was perfect for the discussion that was about to take place.

"I'm going to brew some tea, Kawakami-san, do you have a preference?" Kunihiro asked turning to face her in particular. Originally, she'd been expecting him to be perhaps just as on edge as his wife, but…he wasn't. Showing a type of seasoned wisdom that reminded Sadayo her own father, it made her feel a tad bit comforted. "It's not our home where we have a more colorful selection, but I can make do with it."

"Sobacha i-if it's not too much trouble." She said in a calmed voice. Things had cooled significantly from the encounter down by Daiba. The near burning aura around Azumi had dimmed as time had passed, but she still looked to Sadayo with an aura of readiness, and a tad bit of curiosity. Sadayo wanted to believe that was a good sign.

Akira took a seat beside her with his parents across from them. Directly across from her was Azumi, who looked between the pair with her blue eyes swelling with curiosity. Several times Akira met his mother's gaze and attempted to calm her through silent dialogue; it was hard to tell if it was working, but the leader of the Phantom Thieves of Heart deserved points for trying.

"I take it Morgana wasn't able to come?" Sadayo started as she took the first sip of her tea.

"Sadly, no, it was just too much of a risk." Surprisingly, it was Azumi who answered her. Even she looked a tad sad that the talking feline wasn't with them. It was possible she was aware of how charged the atmosphere was and the cat's presence could have helped to deescalate things. "I'm just going to spitball it and guess that you know…"

"That Morgana can talk? And understand human language?" Finished the fuzzy-haired brunette. Looking to both parents, she saw their next question come through a look. Slowly, she nodded. "Mr. and Mrs. Kurusu, I know that Akira is one of the Phantom Thieves, that he was their leader."

Tension suddenly ebbed out of the parents, and Akira himself seemingly breathed out a sigh of relief. It was clear from their responses that they were wondering if Akira had told her about his double-life. Sadayo didn't exactly blame them, but she also felt like they should have given Akira a tad more credit; he was far from slow-witted or overconfident. Cocky? Oh, _hell yes_, but not stupid. He knew better than to keep such a major secret and still expect to pursue a relationship with someone. This wasn't a TV show where the hero attempted to maintain a double life while also maintaining a romantic relationship.

Also, unlike on TV where secrets were kept in the dark for dramatic suspense, Sadayo along with the rest of Akira's network all proved quite capable of making the connection between him and his nationally-wanted alter-ego.

He told her that discovering his secret had terrified _and _impressed him with. He then immediately apologized feeling it was an insult to her intelligence. Yet another fond memory that she looked back on as the tension in the room began to settle back down to a base level.

"I suppose that makes this a bit…easier. Then again, it just means that someone else knew our son was risking his life doing God knows what before us." Spoke Kunihiro with an aura of sorrow that caused his son to grimace. "Kawakami-san, if you'd please, you're an adult woman and I'm going to assume you're working so, what exactly is it that you do?"

There was a brief eye-exchange between the former thief and maid. This was the question that they knew was coming, and would likely completely blow up the entire conversation. There was no use in running from it, so they braced themselves and dove straight on in.

"I teach." She started, her heart surprisingly calm and her voice steady. "I teach at Shujin Academy, I am, I was, Akira's homeroom teacher during his time at Shujin Academy."

As the former knife-user had been expecting, the reactions came near immediately. Unfortunately, they also came as his parents were sipping on their tea; he couldn't help but feel there was something almost comical in the timing, as if some unseen director had scripted it. Having regained his lightning-fast reflexes, he grabbed for the napkins and held them up in front of his girlfriend as his parents spewed out their tea in unison. It also helped to mask the impish grin that spread along his face upon witnessing such a thing. Sadayo looked at him with a sideways cross look.

_You never change, do you?_ The teacher mentally chided him.

_Hey, what can I say? Besides, you gotta admit, this is pretty funny, don't you think? _Replied the teenager.

Placing the napkins down, he rose and moved over to his mother, who seemed to be choking on her drink, same with her father. Though knowing the reaction might not be positive, Sadayo did the same to his father. As he began to calm down, he looked up to her, and actually whispered a thank you causing her to smile a little. Azumi, on the other hand, looked at her as if she'd grown a second head. Then she looked to Akira like he'd just dived head-long into shark-infested waters.

"Akira!" She screamed. "You…you…you…"

"I dated, no, I _am _dating my teacher." He admitted with a carefree smile that belayed the amount of trouble he was in. This was no shadow he could cut down, attack to be dodged or blocked, or foe to be sweet-talked. All he could do was take what came next. "Surprise?"

"I don't even know where to begin with this!" Echoed his father, bolting up and looking to him with shock, anger, and confusion. The interior designer looked close to pulling his hair out as he processed his son's words. "You were dating your teacher! You…you flirted with her?! Kissed her even?! Akira, do you have any idea what this means?!"

"Do you have any idea of the risk that you put yourself in!?" Added his mother. She looked ready to say more before turning over to Sadayo. The glare was back, but this time, she was ready for it. Though it wasn't nice being under that sniper scope-like stare, Sadayo had been expecting it. It remained on her as she took her seat, as did Akira, who was looking ready for the barrage that was to come next. "…You do realize the risk that you put my son at, correct?"

"Yes, Mrs. Kurusu, I do." Responded the language teacher.

Near immediately, Akira rose to counter his mother's argument. "Mom, it's not like that I was the one who came onto her!"

"What?!" They both cried in wide-eyed shock.

"It's true." He pressed, heedless of the look that his brown-eyed lover was giving him. As events continued to unfold Akira knew what he'd have to do. Even more, he knew he had to do so before the accusations really began to fly. "I'm the one who came onto her. I know it was reckless-"

"Reckless doesn't even begin to cover it! Neither does insane!" His father roared. What previous calm he'd had seemed to have gone out the window; it was rather hard to blame the him given the revelation he'd just been dealt. "Your _teacher_, Akira! Of all the things, of all the people! What in God's name could have led you to do something that overwhelmingly stupid and dangerous! Did you forget what sort of trouble you were in! How one wrong move and…and…" Sitting back down, Kunihiro couldn't bring himself to finish the statement. Revisiting that night little over a year ago always left him feeling emotionally drained and struggling to just keep his head up.

"Did she pressure you into it?" Cutting through the room like a blade in the night was the voice of Azumi Kurusu. Both males and adjacent female looked to her.

"Mom, I already told you that it was me who-"

"I came onto him." Sadayo cut off causing the teenager to look to her. "Look, I know how bad this looks-"

"No, I don't think you do." Sniped the shorter-haired brunette. "Shujin Academy, the same place where that other teacher Kamoshida was accused of-"

"It's nothing like that!" Snapped the black-haired teenager. "Look, mom, I know you're trying to protect me, but this is just off-base!"

For a moment, she was silent, digesting her son's words, but the harsh glare remained.

"Please, both of you, just let me explain." Akira pleaded.

"Let _us _explain." Sadayo seconded. "I know hearing the word, 'Shujin' probably made you think of Kamoshida, who while bad was not the worst thing about our school. I know that my being a teacher there and being involved with your son has likely more than soured your opinion of the school." Leaning forward, she bowed her head before the two parents. "But please, I am only asking for a moment to explain myself. All of this…it's on me, not your son, who is probably one of the best students I've ever had the pleasure of teaching."

For an uncomfortably long period of time there was nothing but silence. It was positively nail-biting for all parties involved.

Then someone finally spoke. "Akira," began Azumi drawing her son's attention. At the very least she wasn't glaring at Sadayo, she was now looking at him. Her expression was a mixture of contained anger and disappointment, no doubt in him. "You said…that this is the woman whom you've been _dating_." Her stressing of the present-tense showed that she'd connected the dots. "That implies that you've been in contact with this woman since you returned to Meguro, yes?"

"Yes, I have." He admitted looking between his parents. "Between all the calls that I've been making to the friends that I made here…she was one of them. In fact, I probably called her the most."

"And did you return my son's calls?" It caught them by surprise when Azumi directed her question toward Sadayo, who rose and met her gaze. One minute, her gaze was burning hot, and the next it was cooling, or at least on the verge of cooling. "Did you return Akira's calls? Did you make an effort?"

"I did, and I made sure to call him just as much, even though I knew at times it…probably wasn't advisable." Admitted the teacher with gleaming eyes. One could have argued that she was digging herself deeper in terms of potential trouble, but that was the only way she could go.

Kunihiro caught the expression and theorized, "You tried calling him while he was at school? Perhaps when you were on break?"

"Or texted me. And I texted her." Jumped in the black-haired teen. "It was a long-distance relationship."

"That you kept a secret from us." Azumi added.

"Can you blame me?" Offered the teen causing his parents to groan. "I'm not trying to be funny, it's just we knew that-"

"This would happen? That we would have something to say about you dating a woman who is ten-plus years your senior _and _your teacher while you were on probation? And during all of this apparently running around Tokyo breaking countless laws thus becoming a nationally wanted criminal?" His father further summarized now caressing his brows. Any second, he expected him to get up and go to the fridge for a drink.

"…Yeah, pretty much all of that. I knew just the Phantom Thief stuff would give you both gray-hairs." Admitted the Wild Card; somehow, he found it in him to crack a nervous smile.

_And I feel like you haven't told us all of the details about __**that**__ either. _Azumi pondered. She knew that her son was keeping things from them about exactly what his Phantom Thief activities had entailed. While he'd given them a rough skim of it, both she and her husband knew he'd skipped out on some details. No doubt for their mental health. It was admirable, but it wasn't something that a teenager should have been doing, a teenager like her son shouldn't have been needing to shelter his parents from the truth. But as her son had argued, the truth was incredibly surreal. With each new detail, she felt her head spin more and more; at some point, Azumi believed that her head and her husband's would spin right off from the shock of it all. "You've already given us gray hairs, Akira." She finally said. "But…that's who you are, and it's one reason why we're so proud of you."

"All of this is just…look, maybe it's best we start from the beginning of all of this." Kunihiro started running his hands over his face.

Whoever was going to speak next was silenced as Azumi's brow rose and her hand went to her pocket. The other members of the table were so stunned by the sudden call that it took them a second to realize it was happening, that it was real. Sadayo herself certainly blinked in surprise several times. She should have felt like she was being saved, but instead she felt a bit…well, cheated was the phrase that came to mind.

Akira opened his ears and listened closely to the call, one exchange in particular catching his attention.

"Eh, Azumi, am I calling at a bad time?"Came the German-accented voice of Flore. Oh, if only she knew…

"Well, it's complicated, let me put it to you that way. I can tell you about it later." His mother answered having regained good enough control, but also letting slip a bit of honesty. She moved her gaze to Kunihiro, whose brow rose. "We'll be there, but don't expect Akira. He has plans for tonight." She didn't look to her son; whose expression was one of absolute shock. "Flore, remember, he's a teenager, and besides, a dinner like this isn't his thing. He's a young maverick who does things his own style. Heh, yes, I know, it does give me heart attacks, but that's part of having children."

The call continued for a few more minutes before ending. Akira and Sadayo sat still as statues as the two parents exchanged looks between one another. The former knew the exchange extremely well and felt an ethereal sense of relief washing over him.

That relief remained even as his father turned his stern gaze toward him. "Akira, as a man of the Kurusu household, you are to treat this woman with the utmost respect and curtsy she deserves, is that clear?"

"Yes sir." He said, a grin growing along his face.

"And you two _will _respect each other's boundaries, correct?" Added the gymnast.

"Yes ma'am." Both former student and teacher said in unison.

The teacher was the recipient of her next words. "And you _will _my son returns to this hotel alive and well, right?"

Sitting up straight and voice ringing with confidence, Sadayo responded, "Yes, I will. I promise."

Coughing, Kunihiro grabbed back the mic. "And Akira, you will call this woman and ensure she got home safely, right?"

Had he been a bit more of a smartass, Akira would have jested at who was supposed to go home first. Thankfully, he kept his sarcasm in restraint and answered his father. "I will, I always do, and I always will for as long as we're together." A tiny voice nipped at him, telling him that adding that last part probably wasn't the best move given all that had just happened. Ultimately, however, he couldn't help himself, he was after all his father's son.

A fact that was recognized in the man himself, as well as the woman he married, who gave a silent nod of approval. It was quite a shock given everything that had happened in the past half-hour.

"But just so we're clear, this conversation is not over." Added the older man looking between the two, his son and the woman who'd apparently won his heart. They both nodded in understanding showing that for all the relief they might have been feeling, they still knew that this conversation demanded a long sit-down. The next one would without a doubt go uninterrupted, or hopefully it would. He didn't want to think that every time they had a sit down someone or something called them away.

Standing up, he and his wife moved to the bedroom, which was rather interestingly marked off by a sliding screen door. It slid shut leaving the former Phantom Thief and maid alone.

They fittingly collapsed back into their seats seconds later.

"This was not how I was expecting things to go." Akira groaned.

"Me neither." Sadayo said. The last time she'd felt like this was when she and her colleagues had been put through the ringer last year where every day felt like an entire semester, and the end of the work day was little more than a temporary relief. A deep sigh escaping her, she turned her head to look at him. "But all things considered, I'm happy to see you again, Akira."

His pained look made her heart ache as he sat up. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I should have told them before. I should have done more. I-"

"Shh." A second ago she felt like she could barely move a muscle. Now she felt fully charged and ready to explode; maybe sitting on the lap of her boyfriend with her finger on his lips had something to do with it. He stared up at her with the most mesmerized look in the world, like she'd just descended from the sky. "You did all that you could, you did more than enough for me, Akira."

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he leaned in close. "I made you a promise that I'd always protect you."

"I know, but I don't want you to have to keep it at the risk of alienating your parents." She whispered cradling his face with tender hands. "Their reactions, they had every right to them, every right to judge me."

"But they don't know you, at least…not yet." His stormy-gray eyes found hers. A hush slipped past her lips, a hush, but not a refusal of what he did next which was kiss her. She leaned into the kiss, no doubt taking the intercourse as a chance to unwind and relax. Akira took the chance to do so as well.

Until a masculine cough caught his attention causing him to break away. Sadayo caught the hint as well and practically clung to him like a life-preserver, her face turning flame-red just like his. Turning to find the sliding screen door had opened and in had stepped back in Kunihiro and Azumi.

To their credit, his parents had red streaks running across their faces as well. And they looked to be trying to contain them.

"Um, a curfew?" Deduced the teenage thief, doing his best to ignore the compromising that he and his girlfriend had been caught in, again, for the second time in one day.

At the very least his parents did their best to ignore it as well. "Yes." His father said, shutting his eyes and trying to contain himself. "That."

"Eleven o'clock?" Akira offered with a smile.

"Nine." His mother shot down. "And no more than one hickey on your neck."

Yep, his first time back in Tokyo and already he has having the time of his life. Akira knew it could only get wilder from there, and he was looking forward to it, along with the woman in his arms.

* * *

**Woah, all of this was pretty fun to write. I gotta say, I seriously wondered how a pair of parents would react to their son dating an older woman who is also their (former) teacher. Admittedly, I swung between comical, serious, and in-between. Hopefully I mixed some light-hearted moments in-between so it wasn't all too serious. This chapter was going to be a pretty heavy one as it's first impressions which don't always go so well, but sometimes they do even if we don't always know that and just think we made fools of ourselves. **

**For how Kunihiro and Azumi found Akira and Sadayo, I decided to have it be so that they tail him without him knowing it because he's too busy thinking about Sadayo. With this story I'm trying to show where our Joker gets some of his personality traits from, and which ones he inverts from his parents. I'm pretty sure it's clear where Akira's more serious side comes from. Plus, having them be the ones to sort of follow him makes for a nice little discussion topic later on when it's just the Kurusus. **

**I have a gut feeling some of you are going to say that Akira's mom came off as a little…harsh on Sadayo, and that was sort of the intention as with her, Sadayo's facing a much steeper hill to climb. The reason why was somewhat hinted at when they stumbled upon the two of them, though it will be elaborated on in the next few chapters. As a mother, she has some standards for what sort of woman she'll allow Akira to be involved with, that's just the kind of woman she is and it'll be explored as to how and why she is that way.**

**On the more lighter side of things, the next chapter's going to be considerably more light-hearted as it'll be filled with some couples-fluff and family-fluff. Just little things to take the edge off of this chapter. Look forward to it, and let me know what you all thought of this chapter! **


	4. Chapter 4-Bright Lights, Big City

**Hello and welcome back, everyone. It goes without saying that life has taken quite a bit of a turn all-around the world, especially here in the US. Obviously, the next couple of months are going to be trying for all of us, but we all can do our best in our own little ways to get through this, and hopefully come out of this pandemic a tad stronger than we were before. To help with that I plan on keeping up on my writing (amongst several other little hobbies). **

**Now then, last chapter ended one of the wildest surprises a pair of parents could have asked for. This chapter I'm pleased to say will be more of a wind down and center on some couple-focused fluff, and no it won't just be our favorite teacher-maid and trickster! Enjoy! **

**I do not own anything.**

* * *

_**Chapter 4-Bright Lights, Big City **_

The ride down the elevator was just as tension-filled as the time spent in the room. It spoke volumes about the weight of what had just transpired.

In simplest terms, Akira and Sadayo had faced the fire while at the same time dodging a mammoth bullet. No, that second part wasn't quite true. They hadn't so much dodged the bullet as delayed its firing, a conclusion that both of them quietly came to as the elevator brought them back down to ground level. Irony was the word as the ride up felt like a falling into hell while the ride down had more in common with an ascension into purgatory. Unlike the first time around, Akira and Sadayo's hands joined, providing them firm relief until the elevator bell rung and the doors slid open. Fortune had once more been with them as they'd entered by themselves and left by themselves, heedless of the other guests who came in after them. They stepped out into the lobby together, sucking in quick breaths as they did so. In a way, they were still pretty tightly wound up; odds were, the tension wouldn't leave them until they got outside.

But first, they each took a moment to bask in the luxurious splendor of the hotel lobby. Even though he'd gotten the chance to bask in it two times already, it was the opportunity to do so with the woman he loved beside him that made it special. Likewise, said woman did the same; the first time she'd entered the hotel lobby she'd been rather justifiably scared out of her mind. She was still scared, but now less so.

Once more, she also felt incredibly out of place.

When all was said and done, she was a language arts high school teacher; there weren't too many places that she was expected to go, at least by the standards of most. Sadayo would have no doubt given a snappy comment, but ultimately agreed with their inquiries. Never would it have been expected for her to be in a place like this, an upscale hotel filled with men and women in business suits that probably cost more than two or three paychecks of hers put together. It could perhaps be argued that Akira looked out of place as well…except he had the attitude that was needed.

He carried himself and her across the lobby, all the unease he was still carrying behind a cool and collected mask. The teenager walked like he had a purpose through the crowds and the reception desk, his hold on Sadayo's hand as firm and comforting as it had always been. It was by his grace, technically his family's, that she was even in a place like this. Yet again, it felt like something out of one of her books and TV shows.

The minute they were out the double doors, Akira acted.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Whispered the black-haired teenager pulling her into a sudden, but very tender hug right there in front of the door way leading in and out. Sadayo's face exploded into a crimson blush, the likes of which was going to cook her brain inside of her skull.

"H-Hey, w-w-we s-shouldn't be d-doing this i-in…" The words never fully left her throat as the teacher realized that Akira probably wouldn't be able to hold his emotions in. She could feel them through their physical contact, his arms, his breathing, the way he stroked her hair. That was one of her favorite kinks that he indulged in. Her hair was a natural fuzzy mess much like his, and they both enjoyed filling it up. Usually, such a thing was done in private, as were displays of intense affection such as this. That trend had just been broken, and Sadayo wasn't really complaining about it. "Akira, it's okay." Whispered the brunette reaching up and softly stroking his black curls.

"No, it isn't." It wasn't a growl or a huff, just a sad realization. Maybe it wasn't right, but Sadayo preferred it that way, she didn't want him to be angry with his parents on her behalf. At heart though, that's how things were. "I made a promise to protect you and I…I failed."

Boldly, she leaned up and kissed his cheek. "No, you didn't. Akira, when it comes to protecting me, you _never _fall short. More importantly…you shouldn't have to protect me from your parents, they had every right to grill me like that." Somewhere in the back of her mind, she'd always imagined that something like this would happen. It'd kept her awake at night, and diverted her attention during the day. Things could have gone _way_ better, but Sadayo could at least say that they were still together, his parents having given them their blessings. For the moment. That was enough of a victory for her, she just had to convince Akira of the same. "Hey, look at me, Akira." Gently, she framed his face so his stormy gray eyes were aligned with her chocolate orbs. "Look at me, I'm a little dented, but no worse for wear, and it's not like they threw me a bunch of curveballs."

"Sadayo," Began the younger teenager, half happy she was putting up a brave front, but also still obviously less than pleased with what had occurred. "Still…you…you shouldn't have had to go through that. I should have done more, I should have just explained everything to them."

"I think you mean _we _should have explained everything to them." She giggled at the minor correction, and the surprised but bashful look he got on his face. From time to time she found he slipped into this state of mind, thinking he had to be there to shield her from all possible threats. It was cute, it was attractive, but at times it could be a little stifling. That said, she could see the reasons why; when it came down to it, Akira was a very attentive person. When someone was troubling his loved ones, he made it his business to get down to the bottom of their problems and help solve them. It was an admirable trait, but there were times when it wasn't quite what was needed, such as now. "When we…when we chose to stay together in spite of the distance, a part of me knew this day would come. When that time came, I wanted us to both be there, to explain it together. I wanted it to be both of us instead of just you. I'm still an adult, ya' know, one fully capable of explaining myself and taking responsibility for my actions. You reminded me that I was still capable of doing that, funny enough."

Silence encircled the gray-eyed teenager as he digested his girlfriend's words. Moments later and he chuckled, his forehead leaning against hers. "Spoken like a woman…a woman that I can't help but want to wrap up in my arms and hold tightly."

"Nothing's stopping you." Sadayo giggled. They were still in front of the hotel and cameras, in naked view of countless other people, yet none of that mattered to the brunette. Just a few minutes ago and she was saying and thinking the exact opposite. Laughing, Akira took her advice and buried his face in her brown curls.

"You're right, I guess…sorry, I guess I'm just a tad protective of you."

"I know, and…to be honest…if it comes down to it, you'll probably be the one giving me this same talk when it comes time to meet my parents." Spoke back the teacher, her eyes shimmering as she briefly paid mind to what the far future would bring. Meeting his parents was only one half of the equation, the other half still remained. There was a nuzzling on her head, then she began to feel her body being pushed along. Effortlessly, she slipped into Akira's sideways embrace, his arm around her waist and hers around his.

"That's for the far future, for the day after tomorrow." He spoke in his usual cool voice showing that he'd regained control of himself. His gray eyes shimmered with appreciation as he made it clear that he'd only done so thanks to her words. "Tomorrow…we'll deal with my folks, but for the rest of tonight…it's just us. I want it to be just the two of us and no one else." The heartfelt laugh that he'd fallen for returned to his ears, next came the lips that he always so enjoyed having on his own. All the days' worries faded away, the past, present, and the future, all that existed within Akira's mind was the beautiful brunette in his arms. When they finally broke for air, both of their lips were beat red. "So, is there any place in particular you want to go for our date? Do you want to head back to Daiba?"

"Maybe later on, for now I've got another location in mind." Giggled the high school teacher with a glint in her eyes. Akira grinned and gave her full control of where they were going, something she quickly jumped on in taking the lead. Akira always loved it when she took the lead, when she guided him through the portions of Tokyo that she knew. Ultimately, she'd lived in the city far longer than him; both of them had found their respective favorite spots that they now enjoyed sharing with one another as a couple.

Sunset had begun to color the exposed sky dark blue and purple and orange. Unlike his rather tranquil hometown, life didn't begin to slow down in the slightest. As Akira remembered it, when the sun went down the life of Tokyo began to speed up.

Nowhere was the fading sunlight more evident was by the water. Shibaura was known for its myriad of artificial canals, which were one of the draws of the area. Equally so, the sunset's light was reflected in the multitude of glass windows that stretched into the sky, the dozens of high-rise apartments and hotels that dotted the district. No doubt a majority of the residents were company workers, the more higher-ups inhabiting the more luxurious homes that rested above the couple's heads. Akira and Sadayo's attention was occasionally drawn upward to where those people were probably living, returning home from work.

"Do you ever think you'd want to live in a place like that?" Sadayo asked. There wasn't a need for specifics as Akira was a smart man, as well as able to pick up on the smallest of details.

His gray eyes rose upward at the dozens of skyscrapers, apartments and businesses, that surrounded the two of them, their vestiges reflected in the waters beside them. "From time to time, pretty sure everyone thinks about their lives going that way. When I first got to Tokyo, admittedly, I was pretty blown away by the apartment buildings-"

"You mean the good ones." Snickered the brunette.

"Yeah, those." Seconded the teenager with a light smile. "There were the kinds of places that my dad's salary might have been able to land us if we stayed in the city. Maybe. One time when I called him as part of a monthly check-up, I actually asked him about it. He asked me if I wanted to one day work for one of the companies in Shibaura. Truthfully…I thought about you." As expected, the brunette beside him gave him a genuinely confused look. It caused Akira to chuckle. "What? It's not like you're lacking in technical skill. To be honest, when I tossed you some of our gadgets and equipment, it blew my mind when you managed to not only fix them, but even help _upgrade _some of them." What he didn't add was that watching her had increased his opinion of her, had fueled his curiosity and compulsion to be near her.

A light blush colored the teacher's cheeks as the conversation shifted to the last thing that Sadayo would have expected. She couldn't blame the weather for her blush, it was still just a tad warm outside, warm enough that there was no need for heavy clothing beyond a fall jacket. "W-Well…you know…everyone's got hidden talents. My dad's a car repairman, worked in the auto industry for most of his life. He's still working now, managing his own auto shop in Uonuma. Growing up, he taught me a few things; I've told you this story before, Akira."

"Never in detail though." Once they'd begun their relationship, he'd opened up to her, arguably more so than he might have intended. Akira didn't ask for much in return, but Sadayo had felt an obligation to return the favor. In doing so, he'd learned quite a bit about her. "I suppose now that we've met my parents, I'm…sorry, I'm being a bit overly optimistic, aren't I? I mean, it's not like we've gotten their permission or anything. Not even close to a final verdict…" He trailed off only to get a light bump on the cheek from his girlfriend.

Normally, he was the optimist, the ray of light that the kanji in his name stood for. Now, it was Sadayo's turn to be the ray of light, if not for this evening then perhaps more. For the next several days if need be. It was quite a turnaround from where she was hours ago when she could at best quiver in fear behind her underage boyfriend while he confronted his mother. "Anyways…as for what we were talking about a second ago…suppose I just never really felt the calling like my dad did. Machines were his lifeblood, so much so that he came to Uonuma and set up his own shop when almost everyone told him that he might fail. I admired him and he taught me a few things, probably because in spite of what my mom said, he kept a bunch of his tools lying around the house."

"Didn't you also tell me that your mom was secretly okay with that?" Inquired the black-haired teenager.

Sadayo winked at him. "Oh, she was. In fact, when dad was away we would get into some tinkering together, what he taught her she passed onto me, and when it was me and him, we did the exact same thing. When I was about sixteen or so, just gradually realizing where I wanted my life to go…I told him that there was a chance I didn't want to go into auto work like he had." Stopping, she turned her gaze to the artificial canal to her left. A smile bloomed along her face as she saw not an artificial river way, but a shimmering lake that she and her father had spent quite some time fishing by. In stark contrast to the cool autumn breeze that hit her back, she felt a warm spring gale that ruffled her hair. "He was okay with it, telling me to do what made me happy, just like he had. Heh, I can't help but look back to think how lucky I was to have a dad like that." She turned her gaze to Akira, brown eyes sparkling. "And I've met a guy who's equally lucky."

Akira wished that his parents could have heard such words. It might have been a step forward in getting their relationship the acceptance they needed…but he was content to just hear them. To hear the compliment aimed at his family from the woman he loved. Warmth encircled his heart causing him to chuckle and bring his girlfriend in closer.

"I didn't care about a salary, though I'm sure as hell not against a nice six-figured paycheck or something…but I realized that what I wanted to do was what would make me personally happy. Something I could take pride in." Sadayo summarized. When she looked back to the water's surface, she noticed how an array of colored leaves had fallen onto the surface and begun floating down stream. Once upon a time, Sadayo realized she at one point had been just like that, letting the current carry her wherever it wished. The story of how that came to be and who stopped it, how would her parents react to it? How would Akira's? "What about you?" she asked him. "You've got one year left so you probably should start giving some serious thought to what you want to do with your life. I'm hoping, 'professional thief' isn't on the list."

"And…if it was?" Baited the teenager. He let out a hearty laugh when his lover groaned, but placed her head against his shoulder.

"Then I'll be going gray-haired way, way faster than I'd expected."

"And you'll still look beautiful to me, my fluffy-haired Saya-chan." Akira could practically feel the rush of heat that enveloped his lady love's body. Chuckling, he leaned over and gently kissed the top of he head putting her at ease while at the same time moving the conversation along. His face fell as he looked ahead of them, distant longing in his eyes. "I'm still working on it…but I've…I like to think I'm being nudged in certain directions. My dad says he could pull some strings to get me set up at an architecture firm or something."

"But that's not what you want to do, is it?" Inquired the teacher recognizing the look on his face, and his tone of voice. It was déjà vu.

"No. First of all, I'm a pretty crappy artist if I do say so myself, doodles are the best I can do, not to mention I wouldn't exactly say I have much of an artistic flair."

"Alright, I'm going to disagree a little on there." Retaliated the brunette. "I've gone over some of your papers and admittedly, your doodles aren't exactly awful. If anything, I'd say you _do _have some artistic flair, just not the type that's on par with say, Kitagawa-san." He looked to her and smiled in appreciation. "On top of that, maybe building design and landscaping just isn't for you. Akira, what makes you feel passionate?"

She was fully expecting a corny remark like making her happy, or her presence, but Akira surprised her. "Helping people…I guess, or doing my best to do that." Given their interlocked hands, when he stopped, she stopped with it. It wasn't much of a sudden jerk as Sadayo had picked up on where things were going. "Not exactly sure how many career options that leaves me."

"I'd say plenty, it's just a question of _how _do you want to help people. Cute as you'd look, I don't think dressing up as a superhero would do it." That got a laugh out of both of them as they thought of the possibility of him trying to be a superhero. As the laughter died, the brunette looked more closely at her younger boyfriend. It wasn't crystal clear, but she could see the gears beginning to turn in his head. "Akira, have you been considering going into…law?"

He didn't seem surprised by her inquiry. "I've…given it some thought. No solid word yet."

"That's fine. We're still talking some ways off. You've still got some time to think about all of it." Sadayo offered.

She was right, but Akira also felt a nagging sense of urgency. Maybe it was personal more practical. From an outsider's perspective, it seemed his time as a Phantom Thief had come and gone. It wasn't like he and his friends could keep on doing what they were doing without the Metaverse, and the alternate dimension was better off gone where none could exploit it than hanging around waiting for another madman to use it, or worse, another monstrosity to be birthed from its dark depths. That meant that he and the rest of his allies had to live their lives in the light, on the surface. What were they to do with those lives? The futures that they had fought so hard for?

Such thoughts weighed heavily on his mind as he and Sadayo arrived at Tamachi Station. They got themselves some snacks to eat while they waited for their trait, then ate while onboard. A nice evening snack aboard a tree, it was the sort of alone time that Akira had secretly been yearning for. Even the blazing tension that was talking to his parents just a few hours ago now felt like something that had happened at the beginning of the week. At best, it was a momentary reprieve, one that he knew he couldn't squander.

"In some ways…I'm a tad bit jealous of everyone." With a sad smile, he watched the surprise spread along Sadayo's face. Clearly, she hadn't been expecting such words to come from his lips. Now that they were out, he knew he could only go the rest of the way. "Of everyone on the team. Everyone has a talent or dream that they're currently working towards, even Futaba who's no doubt going to get a scholarship, same thing as Yusuke and Ryuji."

Hearing the latter's name, the teacher chuckled in good-hearted agreement. When he suffered his leg injury, many, including herself, had believed whatever scholarship Ryuji might have been able to attain had just gone up in flames. Now, Sadayo was in the more optimistic camp, especially as she'd gotten to know the dyed-haired blond a little better. Even if he couldn't run the same way as he could have before, Ryuji was still very much capable of making his way in the world of sports and athleticism. It was admirable, it was the right thing to do, at least in her opinion. On top of that, Ryuji was putting in actual effort to keep his grades up so he could graduation with the rest of his friends.

Sadly, odds were that graduation wouldn't have Akira there. Not unless time chose to be on their side and his school's graduation took place before Shujin's. By that time, she knew that her young lover wanted to have a path to the future mapped out, a career in mind.

Something in her mind told her that Akira wanted that answer to manifest itself earlier than the spring.

Sadayo reached out and took hold of his hand, her fingers gently gliding across his skin. Her simple touch soothed him as his always did to her. "You're talking like you don't have any practical abilities, when we both know that's far from true. First off, you're no dummy, you're smart, quick-witted, and most of all, you've got the leadership abilities that would be needed to lead a group of workers. Hell, I kind of wish we had someone like you at Shujin now because we could use leadership like that. The ability to pull people together, and the ability to bring out the best in them. Those sorts of things, I'm sure there's a job out there where you can put those abilities to use." Sliding her palm against his, she laced her fingers through his. Akira's smile turned from small to warm and content. "If you want, you could go into the business or legal world, that is, if you think you could stomach it after everything that you've been through."

His mind jumped back four days earlier to the conversation he and Oshiro-sensei had. In the back of his mind, he'd known that the conversation would likely have some sort of ripple effect, perhaps even be the first indicator of what path he should take. Hearing his girlfriend's words, he believe the first step just got a lot clearer.

"Hey, Akira."

"Yes?" He said blinking in surprise. Sadayo's look was one of sympathy, but also one of concentration. When her dark brown eyes looked at him in that way, he felt like he'd been hypnotized. It was the look that silenced the charmer in him, even if Akira had already done so himself.

Her free hand reached out and caressed his cheeks. A shiver of delight ran through the teenager, another came when he heard her speak. "Whatever you choose to do, you'll have my full support, no matter what anyone has to say about it, or you." There wasn't a need to say anymore as Akira was a smart boy, he picked up on the underlying meaning of her words in seconds. She got some seconds' worth of shock out of him until he chuckled.

"You know, I'm an incredibly lucky guy to have a girlfriend like you."

A response would have come from the teacher if the announcement hadn't come over the intercom that they were about to arrive at their stop. Giggling, Sadayo figured she could save her piece for latter, maybe at the end of their date. Provided she still remembered what she wanted to say.

* * *

Stepping off the train, they were greeted with sounds and sights of Shinagawa Station. They'd officially crossed into the Takanawa neighborhood, a favorite place of the brunette teacher. Akira knew a fair bit of it as well as he too had journeyed into the neighborhood with a friend. Albeit that had only been a friend, not his girlfriend, whose eyes lit up as they left the station and inhaled the cool night air. Afterwards, she squeezed Akira's hand and began to pull him along, a repeat of what she'd done earlier. Just like before, Akira's face morphed into a light-hearted smile as he followed his girlfriend's lead.

Oddly enough, given what he was thinking about, a library was perhaps the best place for him to be. Surely some of his friends would have balked at the thought. He comes back to Tokyo after almost half a year of absence and reunites with his girlfriend after so long…and they got to a library? Was it because she was a teacher? No, it was simply her tastes, and Akira's tastes allowed him to enjoy some of the more culture-centered places that Sadayo enjoyed going to.

And again, given what they'd previously talked about, a trip to the library was likely what his mind needed. That, and the ability to catch some sneak peaks of his brunette lover swiping away certain books for her own viewing pleasure.

Even before they entered the Takanawa Public Library, Akira could feel Sadayo was giddy, and for more reasons than one. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was nagging at him. The feeling was suppressed as he stepped inside of the massive public library, looking as bustling as ever. Given that it was a Friday night, Akira wasn't too surprised to see there were quite a few couples moving through the aisles and hunkering down at the tables, some of them his age. He wasn't the only one who taught of a trip to the library as being something possibly romantic. Alternatively, instead of partying they were studying. Again, Akira could relate, but he was planning on getting some studying mixed in with some leisure time with his girlfriend.

"So, mind telling me what you've been reading lately?" Akira innocently chirped.

"I can show you," Sadayo winked. "And…maybe even help you find some good reading material for while you're here."

True to her words, she took him to the fiction section, specifically where the novels lay. Akira was a reader, but not quite as devoted a reader as his girlfriend. Part of the bonus of that was "story time" as it could be called, just for him. It was a secret indulgence of his that she was more than happy to feed, sometimes feeding her own indulgence and urges as an educator. It was very much like having TV read to you instead of watching it; Akira had gradually come to enjoy such a thing, specially when Sadayo was the one reading to him. Of course, it was in a quiet voice just barely above a whisper, and even then, there were occasional breaks as the brunette's excitement grew. All of it made Akira's heart soar behind his content smile, which Sadayo stole occasional glances at as she quietly read to him.

It was clear that she was going to be checking some out, and she encouraged Akira to do so as well. He gave slim protest, citing the fact that ultimately it would fall on her to return the books by the given due-date, plus, he'd only be in town for a few days at best.

His light-hearted protest was met with a good-hearted flick on the forehead and a giggle.

While Sadayo was no psychic, she had her intuition, which had brought her far enough in life. That intuition spoke to her as she followed Akira and got a look at the books that he was looking at. Instantly, her mind jumped forward several years, picturing her young boyfriend, now an adult, stepping into a court room as a legal defendant. A quick blink and the image was gone, but the feeling it brought within her lingered. Pride, joy, worry, anxiety, and perhaps most strikingly…a sense of amusement that had some slightly cynical part of her chuckling.

From thief to lawyer, one would be hard-pressed to deny the irony in such a transformation.

No doubt, Akira's teammates, his friends, would be shocked by the career choice as well. Except for maybe Makoto. Ironically, some of the books she saw Akira take a look at had been peered into by the younger Niijima at the school library. Something told her that eventually, her path and Akira's would likely cross. Once, there was a time when the possibility of that happening filled her with a small sliver of dread, but that time had long since passed.

"Out of curiosity, how much do you know about law?" Whispered the teenager as they headed back to a table.

"Aside from what I've seen on TV, not that much. Or at least maybe…modern law. I can tell you a few things about Tokugawa and Meiji-era law." She answered. "Before you ask, no, I never expected you to go down this path. You're such a troublemaker though, so…"

The charismatic smirk she hated and loved appeared on his face. "I'll try to keep the courtroom chaos down to a minimum if I choose to go down this route." Like a passing wind, the smirk fell as his eyes grew heavy. "Then again…a part of me wonders how much good I'll really be able to do inside the system."

"Being inside the system doesn't mean that you can't challenge it…or that you have to give up parts of yourself." Gently offered the language arts teacher placing a hand on his shoulder. "Besides, look at the job you're potentially thinking about, it's practically about bending and stretching the law like a rubber band. I'm sure that in doing that, you'll be able to help at least some people."

Akira could almost hear a nagging-like voice telling him to focus on his work, but what he instead focused on was the encouragement from his girlfriend. He had no delusions of grandeur over what his life would be like if he pursued a legal career. No doubt it'd be one where he'd come home feeling like he'd just battled the Reaper in Mementos, ready to collapse as soon as he was through the door. Or punch a hole in the wall. Surely there would be days like that, but also, hopefully, the beautiful, warm smile that he was looking at now would be there to greet him. Likewise, he'd do the best to be there for Sadayo when she came home with a dark cloud hovering above her head.

Close to half an hour went by before the pair rose, arms full of books. Sadayo told him not to worry as she'd make sure that each and every one was properly returned, and threw in a remark about how maybe he should swing by a bookstore to maybe consider _buying _some of them so he could study them whenever he wanted. Akira took the advice to heart, knowing there was truth in it. When the holidays rolled around, he was going to have something else to do besides es and video-chatting with his friends and getting into snowball fights with his classmates.

After checkout, he saw the familiar glint in his girlfriend's eyes implying that she still had something else planned. He was proven right when Sadayo took him by the hand and started to drag him down a familiar set of corridors.

"Something you want us to see? A movie maybe?"

There was a short giggle. "Yes on the first, no one the second. Besides, something tells me I'm better off keeping things PG while your parents are still in town."

The words combined with the audacious grin on her face made the former thief's heart flutter in excitement.

It came to a sudden halt when he was brought before a series of paintings. One of the defining features of Takawana Public Library was that it displayed the artwork of local grade school students. One of those pieces of art work was on display in front of him, one that made his heart temporarily halt, then begin to flutter in heartfelt excitement.

"When you left Tokyo…opinions on the Phantom Thieves were fifty-fifty…but that means they were half negative and half _positive_." Sadayo spoke with a shy smile. "I…wanted you to see some of the positive, and see that…everyone's doing well. Really well. Especially Yusuke."

Having spent a fair share of time around the formerly starving artist, Akira had come to recognize his "artistic fingerprint" as it could be called. He'd know it in a heartbeat. It was staring him in the face, mixed with the blooming artistic talent of another. Together, they'd come together to create a portrait of _him_ as Joker, holding a star and handing it to a pair of children. He looked like some sort of spectral apparition, a ghost almost…yet the children beneath him were in no way frightened by his appearance. Quite the opposite in fact. Their faces were illuminated by the light that he was giving them, to which they looked positively grateful for. Akira's mouth hung open as he absent-mindedly took steps forward, his hand reaching out to touch the painting only to be stopped by a gentle hand. The opposing hand slid up to find his, warm fingers lacing through his own.

"This painting was posted about two days ago, the last time I came here." Sadayo whispered. "The story behind it is that a boy from a local school around here…his family was going through some tough times, being extorted by some local gangsters. Word is he made a plea to the Phantom Thieves to rescue him and his family…and…a few days later, all the money that they'd given up was returned to them. The jerks responsible turned themselves in and are now awaiting trial for all the extortion they did. This happened last year…right around the time that…Mr. Okumura was assassinated." Based on the way that Akira looked at her, she could tell he was combing through his memories for the series of events. Sadayo couldn't help but smile. It was one thing to do so many awful deeds that one lost track of them, but it was rare to hear of doing so many _good _deeds that the same happened. She supposed it was somewhat like being a doctor, treating so many patients' faces and names blend together, but the feeling of joy at having saved a life never fades. "It took some time, but eventually the boy decided he wanted to honor the heroes who saved his family, even if the rest of the world saw them as villains." He turned to face her, his eyes glowing like polished gray gemstones, as well as maybe filling up with sentimentality. The teacher reached up and ran her hands through his black curls. "To the majority, feelings about you may still be mixed…but no matter how small or far…there's someone out there who sees you all as heroes, because you are. That little boy is one…and I'm another."

Once more, he didn't care who saw him. He didn't care if he risked outing himself in light of the painting. All that mattered to Akira was embracing the woman who'd once more reminded him that his decision to stop and do what he felt was right, to stand up for the powerless, was his path. Sure, it may have been foolish, it may have been reckless and even stupid, but it was the path he'd chosen.

And in choosing it, he believed he'd found the love of his life. The woman he'd continue to help and support, and who in turn would do the same for him. He promised himself that he would remain by her side for as long as he could, no matter what came his way.

* * *

_**Shibiaura Island, 8:11 PM…**_

Strange as it may have sounded, baroque food always had a way of putting Azumi Kurusu's mind at ease. Surely the reason lay in her youth, when her friends had dragged her out of eating from more "traditional" places to some of the more out of the way places for a bite to eat. Since that one odd trip in her junior high days, eating grilled food had become a favorite cool down activity of her. Luckily for her, most places served fish along side a traditional meat lineup giving her husband something to eat as well.

In this case, they both needed it. Greatly.

She wasn't sure rather it was good or bad that she'd gotten a call to come eat out when she and her husband were meeting their son's girlfriend for the first time.

Who also happened to be older than him.

And his former teacher.

And apparently called him "Master" as a pet name.

All of it weighed heavily on her mind and that of her husband's, so much so that when she and Kunihiro descended down to the lobby to meet with Flore, the German woman could read them like an open book.

Placing both hands on her hips, the blonde looked between the married couple. It was abundantly clear that one person was missing, the next head of the Kurusu family and the one who'd inherited the family matriarch's gymnastic ability. As the parents met her eye, the German woman finally let her thoughts pour out. "Just let me know that Akira will be enjoying himself tonight. I saw the way the lad's eyes lit up when I mentioned this trip. When I called, I got this unsettling feeling in my stomach, and now I see you two looking like there'll be a fighter plane soaring above our heads all night."

The parents looked to one another. Their expressions weren't exactly fake, but one could tell they were a tad bit forced, if only just a little.

"Something tells me he'll make the most of this night." Kunihiro answered wrapping an arm around his wife's waist causing her to look at him. Gradually, a smile spread along her lips. "He's out there, enjoying his time back in the big city, and we're ready to do the same."

"So, where is it we'll be dining? Hopefully some place good enough it warrants dragging me and my family out hundreds of miles." Azumi chirped up looking to her foreign friend with an ear-to-ear grin she returned.

Traveling down the road, it became overwhelmingly obvious that Tokyo was a different beast compared to their quiet town of Meguro, not that they didn't already know that. What hammered the point home were the bright lights, enough to rival the stars in the sky, the stars that normally would have been clearly shining over their beloved town. In this city, all of the bright lights were artificial, but that in no way took away from their splendor.

Kunihiro's feelings on the big city were a tad mixed if he were honest. He was a through and through city man, a trait that he believed had been passed onto his son. Unlike Akira, the experiences of the big city had not scared him away; arguably they'd brought him back, left him salivating to get back. It was yet another polar opposite between him and his son…yet for every difference, Kunihiro felt like there was a similarity to be found.

In spite of the day's revelations, the interior designer felt like love was one area where they found similarities. He wasn't _as_ adventurous as his son was, but he had a thing for going for woman that by all accounts were out of his league.

That point was once more hammered in when they arrived at their destination and stepped out of the car. Of course, his wife was the one that was the first to be greeted and crowded around. That said, it was a given as most of the people assembled at this dinner were dancers and stage actors, her kinds of people. They were also the people that she'd no doubt be coordinating with for this particular job that had brought them out of Meguro and into the big city where a wealth of surprises had awaited them. While Kunihiro conversed with his own set of people, making first introductions and impressions, he kept a lingering eye on his wife.

At times like this, he could never take his eyes off her. Hours ago, he'd seen the maternal side of her that he knew would always be there to watch over their son. Now, she was laughing and smiling in her maroon-colored coat, a blue scarf being unrolled from around her neck.

Once she caught his gaze, a laugh fell from her lips. Her heels clicked across the marble floor as she moved towards him, grabbing his hand and causing a hot-red blush to enflame his cheeks. Even now, over twenty-five years after being married, she still knew how to leave him feeling a flustered as that schoolboy he was when they first met. As he blushed, he caught sight of Flore grinning at them. He'd long since gotten used to the woman's Cheshire grins, in fact, he believed she was where his wife had learned how to make such expressions.

Shibaura Island had a wide array of restaurants for its upper-class residents, which for the night included the Kurusus. Thankfully, one of them was a grill that his wife gleefully took to.

They sat together with Flore and some of the other dancers who'd been brought to the city. It was one of those times when the couple were more than happy that they'd learned more than just their homeland's native tongue.

Second by second, minute by minute, the night passed, stomachs being filled and laughter and gasps ringing the air. Kunihiro and Azumi seemingly lost themselves in the festivities, but occasional glances at one another told them that a certain someone, or two, were never far from their minds.

As expected, such thoughts couldn't help but bubble to the surface eventually.

"So, what did Akira get involved in?" Flore whispered to her dark-haired friend when her husband temporarily departed for the bathroom. Fortunately for them, the conversation had moved away from them, the sheer volume seemingly blocking out their voices.

Azumi sighed. "We happened upon him and his girlfriend."

"The lad has a girlfriend?! _Ein prosit_, Azu_!_" Exclaimed the German gymnast grabbing her Japanese counterpart and pulling her into a sudden but heartfelt hug. Azumi couldn't help but laugh out, and fulfil her request to toast when their drinks were refilled. A few minutes during which they sipped down; Flore's half-empty glass came down with a soft thud followed by her looking to Azumi with a lax smile. "Azu, you do not approve of who he's chosen, do you?"

"That obvious, huh?" Sighed the mother.

Another laugh came from the German woman while she reached up and pattered Azumi on the back. "Whenever you're angry, it's easy to tell. Whenever something is on your mind, your blue eyes gain that glint that reminds me of a blade about to be drawn from its sheath." Finally, came the wink. "Not to mention you and Kunihiro couldn't stop looking at one another, not in a way that screamed you wanted to-"

"Flore. Please." Came the groan-like voice of the Kurusu Family patriarch. Both women whipped to the side, one with a blush and the other roaring with laughter. Kunihiro bit down the blush that was consuming his face just as it was his wife's, whom he sat down beside. "We…caught Akira and her in a rather compromising position." There was a beat in which he caught the glint in the German woman's eyes. "Both of them had their clothes on!"

"Oh, for how long I wonder." She inquired in a quiet voice.

Not quiet enough, however. "That's what I wonder myself." Sighing, Kunihiro reached over and placed a reassuring hand on his wife's arm. A heavy-hearted sigh escaped the Japanese gymnast. "They were making out and…well…I wanted to pry that woman off my son. Does that sound wrong?"

"Hey, you're the mother in this case, not me. I barely even know who this woman was…but she must be something if she caught Akira's eye." Flore noted, a somewhat distant look in her eyes. Being a close friend of Azumi Kurusu, she could very much qualify for being called a friend of the family. She'd become friends with Kunihiro, and had known Akira since he was five-years-old. He was a cute and bright little boy, one that Flore had played and laughed with when she came to visit the Kurusu family. She'd periodically seen him from then on, gradually growing from a boy into a young man. His eyes had become more like his parents, sharp and focused representing the passing on of his parents' traits. Those same traits could make a potential girlfriend feel intimidated.

Especially with Azumi, who'd undergone a quiet change over the last two years or so, when her precious son was put in the crosshairs.

From a glance, it could be ascertained that the woman was now reconsidering such behavior. Fighting those thoughts was the strong maternal instinct that had awoken in Azumi seventeen years ago, when her son was born.

"Let's just say that it was a…surprise. She was a surprise." Spoke up her husband filling the void that followed. He knew his wife well; he saw the inner turmoil within her. Looking to Flore, he continued one, "Flore, it's…well, in some ways we're still worried for Akira. For himself and not just his future."

"Hm, and you believe this woman he's with could threaten him? Emotionally?" Inquired the blonde. The married couple looked between each other.

"Maybe." Azumi said.

"The sit-down is coming." Kunihiro clarified.

Recoiling, the European woman felt a ping of guilt. When the Kurusus came down to meet her in the lobby, she knew something was wrong. Her suspicions had been confirmed. That said, something in her gut also told her that her call had come in at the right time. No doubt Akira would have thought so as when the parents spoke of him enjoying himself, the words were genuine and the affection they held was as well. If Flore had to guess, he was off on a date with this mysterious girl.

Which met that there was some hope.

Not looking to either of the Kurusu, Flore asked her next question. "Does he care for her?"

A question like that was the only one that needed to be asked.

"From what we saw." Azumi answered, her eyes heavy. "What worries me is…is it mutual. What worries me is…I want to have faith in Akira, he's our son so…shouldn't we have faith in his choices?" Her husband's arm draped across her shoulder.

Azumi's wish for an answer went unfulfilled. Flore sucked in a sharp breath and leaned forward on the table. "Azu, now I'm curious to meet this girl. If she makes it past you two, I'll have to see about arranging a meeting with her so I can give a score. Can she dance?"

Yet again, the two parents looked to one another. Suddenly, Azumi began to giggle, then she fell into full-blown laughter. Kunihiro chuckled, nervously scratching the back of his neck while Flore stared at the two of them, along with some other guests. It seemed the parents were the only ones in on some private joke.

In a manner of speaking, that's exactly what it was.

* * *

_**Mita, 9:09 PM…**_

It would have been safer if they started to make their way back to Shibaura, but neither Akira nor Sadayo felt like playing it safe in spite of the invisible tension that still hung over them. Ironically, it only served to embolden them. Their relationship had truly begun when they both decided to take a leap of faith, to give the seemingly impossible a shot. One could say that it was a bit of a trademark of theirs, almost like they were reaching for the stars.

Akira told her that as a little kid, that's what he did. Growing up, he had a habit of getting as far up as he could and trying to grab at the stars. It led to a few times when he would beg his parents to stay out until after dark at the playground, long after most would have chosen to go in. Gradually, they'd begun to understand his yearnings. The swing became his best friend at night, taking him as high as it could while his hands stretched out to grasp the celestial lights so high above his head. He never succeeded, but the black-haired youth liked to think he came close a couple of times. Even when he fell from the swing and either hit his head or landed in his parents arms.

Sadayo had exploded into laughter at the revelation, stating how such traits were _exactly _what she expected from Akira. After she'd gotten her laughs in, and taken in the sight of his cute embarrassed face, she asked him if he ever tried to touch the moon. He had, but he stated that he preferred the stars, even if their prominence wasn't as great.

Such sentiments hadn't changed as a teenager on the cusp of entering adulthood. He still looked to the sky, and he still reached for the stars.

Except he didn't feel they were so far out of his reach now.

"What a corny thing to say." Giggled the woman beside him, a placated smile on her face causing him to chuckle.

"Hey, it's done the trick in getting you smitten, or more smitten than you already were. At heart, I guess I'm a bit of a sentimental person." It was true. When push came to shove, Akira knew he had a habit of listening to his heart more than his brain, even though he'd learned how to think with cold logic. That said, there were some things that couldn't be dealt with using cold logic. Maybe that was a blessing, or maybe it was a curse, ultimately, it was a part of who Akira was.

And Sadayo couldn't be any happier for it. After all, he was who he was, and that was the person she'd fallen for. "Guess that makes us alike, two sentimental fools enjoying a romantic evening watching the stars." She snuggled up to her former student, whose warmth was like a cackling fire. He was always like this, no matter the circumstances surrounding them. "You have good parents." She said choosing to give some attention the circumstances hanging over them at the moment.

"Maybe a tad overprotective." He mused to which the brunette giggled.

"That's part of their job. Akira, their reaction…they were justified. Your mother especially…" Their eyes met. Beneath the light of the moon and the stars, Akira's eyes seemed more silvery than their usual dark gray, further driving home how enigmatic he was at his core. From his end, Akira couldn't help but lose himself in her shining brown eyes, eyes that he saw filled with sadness, but now shined with joy and humor. She knew that his deepest wish was to protect that light to the bitter end, no matter who might come to dampen it, even his own parents. Sadayo didn't want things to come to that, she couldn't allow that to happen. Not for her sake. "She did the right thing in protecting you. That's what parents, that's what your elders are supposed to do."

Akira looked down at the grass beneath them. "I guess I just…hate it when I'm sandwiched between two people that I care about. My mom…ever since I got back, I've noticed how more attentive and watchful she is. My dad tells me between the two of them, she took what happened the hardest."

Sadayo knew why. "She feels like she failed to protect you." She sighed as he looked to her. It was now time for one more confession on her end. "A couple of days after the Takases apologized and was putting my life back in order, I called my parents. I didn't tell them everything, but let's just say they could tell something was wrong with me for the last year or so. My mom and dad…even though I couldn't see their faces, I could tell how they felt. I was suffering and they couldn't do a thing about it. That feeling…it's…suffocating, especially when its with someone you care about. It eats away at you, gnaws at you until there's nothing left but this all-consuming sense of failure." Her left hand rose and fell over her chest, where her heart maintained a steady rhythm in spite of the subject matter.

He took in the statement in silence. Akira could understand his girlfriend's words of wisdom, especially since he'd wrestled with that same feeling. One moment in particular stood out, he'd been forced to stifle that sense of failure, that self-hatred in favor of preparing himself for the confrontation with the tyrant responsible for all of his suffering. He looked back up to the stars, as if asking if there was a way to ease such suffering.

There was an answer, but it was one that had been with him all along. It was one he'd been doing since he'd gotten to Tokyo and started to recover from his first encounter with Shido, interaction.

"Tomorrow, how would you feel about swinging by Leblanc to talk things out with my parents?" He offered.

"Pretty sure something like that was already in the cards." She chuckled. The elder Kurusu had been on point when he said that this conversation wasn't over, merely postponed. "I want to talk to them, to straighten things out. To let your parents, your mother, know that I won't ever hurt you. In order to do that…I'm going to have to face them." Pausing to turn her head, she met Akira's gaze. "Even if it means I have to do it alone, no, especially if I have to do it alone."

She'd been waiting for it, the instant reaction that came with the tail end of her statement. Before the breath could finish leaving Akira's mouth, Sadayo acted.

Normally, she was the one who cautioned them over getting…frisky in public. All that caution had promptly gone out the window as she straddled her teenager lover. It wasn't the ideal thing to do since she was wearing a dark blue skirt, but again, she'd thrown caution to the nightly wind that blew past them. Behind her lay an array of stars and a fading half-moon, but her face was what drew Akira's attention. He lay perfectly still beneath her, his chest rising and falling as he stared up into her pure brown eyes.

"I know you always feel the need to protect me…but I have to learn how to do some things on my own. This is one of them. I know you're willing to stand up for me…but I have to show that I'm willing to stand up for you." Spoke the high school teacher in a serene voice.

A hush ran through the teenager as he looked to her with soulful eyes. "You already have, Sadayo."

He got a giggle out of her. "Even so, your parents weren't there to see it, not to mention they're going by your word of mouth. Akira, they have to _see me_, they have to see that when push comes to shove, I won't turn and run. We all know sometimes that's how stories like this end. Once the spark goes out, that's it." Shaking her head, she moved her hand over his chest, where she felt his heart beating. "I don't want the spark between us to go out. I want it…I want it to remain strong until the end. In order to do that, I have to do my part. I have to show that I can shine on my own."

Fortune smiled on the couple as the iconic hilltop was deserted save for them. The stars and moon were shining for them; they were shining on the teacher who'd once given up on herself.

Akira leaned up, wrapping his arms around his lover's waist as she sunk into his embrace. "You're already shining." He started in a husky voice. "But I can understand what you mean. I trust you, I believe in you, Sadayo."

It was laughable how this entire thing seemed torn straight from the pages of a romance novel or script of a TV show, but it was real. It was really happening. Sadayo knew that reality could be cruel and unfair, but that meant that one only had to fight all the harder to make it enjoyable. The man who held her in her arms gave her an empowering reason to do so. He'd given her the courage she needed to stay up straight and face anything and anyone who came her way. Shutting her eyes, she eased into the kiss that followed. It was sweet and tender, the two holding one another while sitting atop the Tsuki no Misaki, the stars and moon shining down upon them.

* * *

_**Tokyo Bay, 9:49 PM…**_

"It looks beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you."

Azumi burst into giggles at the unapologetic corny line that her husband used on her. Not that she was against it. Spinning on her heel, she threw her arms around Kunihiro, who lifted her up and brought her into a warm kiss.

As it ended, the married couple looked back out to the multi-colored industrial bridge that was one of the many iconic landmarks of Tokyo. For Azumi, it was her first time seeing it in years, for Kunihiro, it was merely a first that he took stock in.

After dinner, a tour, that was the plan. Albeit the tour would be a small one. Azumi had work tomorrow and Kunihiro…had some catching up to do. In particular, there was one person whom he _really _needed to catch-up with. An old friend whom he was realizing was keeping a lot more secrets than he'd previously thought.

Before all of that, they had this moment, it was theirs to enjoy as much as they could. It was also theirs to use as they wished.

"Where do you think he is?" Asked the interior designer draping an arm around his wife's shoulder as they stared out across the bay. Truly, they were witnessing the Tokyo nightlife, standing there alone on the harbor as the night quietly ticked away.

"Some place…enjoyable. Probably with that woman." Sighed the gymnast knowing full well who her husband was talking about. "I trust he's on his way back home by now."

"On his way back?" Kunihiro asked with a raised eyebrow and a slight smirk. His wife laughed then jabbed him in the side, lightly of course. "Azumi, listen, I'm sure that Akira will understand once we explain it to him."

The blue-eyed woman shook her head. "Kuni, I…I jumped the gun, I just did. When I saw her, heard her…my mind just…it just snapped back to then. I don't want to do this with every woman that Akira brings home."

"You won't, and I think we both know the reason why you did react that way. I can say hearing her call him 'Master' wasn't exactly good for my nerves." Sighed the older black-haired man. That part still rung in his head when he thought of the surprise encounter between his son and his apparent girlfriend. Who was older than him, and his teacher. The more he thought on it the more his head hurt, and they'd only gotten the bare minimum in details. A look to his wife told him that same dissatisfaction was eating at her as well. "Azumi, I think something has to be said the way she…presented herself. She knew how things looked."

At first, silence was the response from the gymnast. Filling up the void was the hum and roar of Tokyo Bay, a mighty noise that could drown out one's inner thoughts, or enhance them. Truly a double-edged sword when one thought about it. In Azumi's case, it was doing the latter.

Here she and her husband stood, on the shore overlooking Tokyo Bay just as their son had, with his girlfriend. It was supposed to be a private moment, but then they happened upon it and…well, Azmi knew it was a memory that none of them were going to be forgetting any time soon. Boiling within her was a sense of self-hatred, it was hypocritical for she and her husband to be standing in this place, watching the glow of rainbow-colored light over the water, when their son had been denied that at their hand. Surely her husband knew that as well.

Odds were, he did, and that was why he was so gently massaging her shoulder. Azumi couldn't help but lean into his embrace, lose herself in it. Since their school days, he'd tried hard to be a bastion of comfort for her, and he'd succeeded. He'd succeeded in spades to the point where she couldn't imagine her life without him. The love of her life and father of her child.

Looking back over the last five years, she saw echoes of his behavior, and some of her own, in the way Akira had moved to defend the woman known as Sadayo Kawakami.

That was the boy they'd raised, the boy that they were proud of.

"I'll admit…I'm a little curious about how our little Akira ended up with a woman like that." She finally said.

"Knowing Akira…I'll say this…he probably made the first move." Kunihiro said with a slight blush on his face that caught his wife's eye. Both of them laughed at the memory of how their relationship began. "If he was willing to take a chance on her…and her on him…I mean, they must have gotten together last year and they've been seeing each other since so…maybe…"

"There's a spark there. Maybe." Azumi stated looking back over to the water with eyes that were attempting to see the future. If it could be found on the colored water's surface, she wanted to see it. "As parents, I believe it's our job to determine if that spark will flicker out…or grow into something brighter." Her determined demeanor was broken by a brief chuckle and kicking of her heels. "Look at me, I sound just like my parents."

"Not that that's a bad thing. They raised two extremely exceptional children, one of which I'm married to." Kunihiro chirped making his spouse laugh.

Once the laughter died, Azumi looked back to her husband, her smile growing more distant, yet resolute. "Let's head back. Akira will probably be back by the time come home…and I think it'll be time for a family discussion before we all go to sleep."

"And another one will have to be had tomorrow, provided you're in the mood for it." He responded.

"I'd rather have a straight talk with her some place private." Azumi mused giving him a look. "Any places in mind?"

Kunihiro heaved out a sigh, an exhausted smile crowning his face. "Yep. One place in particular, a place where we can be at ease and let everyone speak their peace. I have just the place in mind…"

Hundreds of miles away, as he was closing up shop, a former government operative felt a shiver down his spine. His daughter questioned him on it and he shrugged it off. As he rode home with her in the passenger seat, he could help but feel like a storm was brewing over his head and when the lightning fell, he'd be dead center for it.

* * *

**Yet again, I don't think there needs to be much guessing over what place Kunihiro is thinking of. Can't have Akira returning to Tokyo and not include our favorite coffee shop, right? **

**On multiple levels this chapter was meant to be a cooldown from the tension of the last one featuring the two primary couples of this story going on dates. It was admittedly pretty fun (and relaxing) writing couples going on dates, especially in these dark times; on top of that, part of the fun in writing Persona 5 stories has been getting to write all the different locations of Tokyo. There's a lot to do, and one day in the hopeful future, I'll be able to visit there. All of the places described in this chapter are real, especially the Takanawa Public Library which really does have an art gallery that features artwork from local elementary schoolers. Likewise, the Tsuki no Misaki is a plateau in the Mita neighborhood of the Minato Ward. True to its name, it offers and amazing view of the moon and stars on a clear night sky making it quite a nice little spot. In contrast, I wanted to have Kunihiro and Azumi end up back at where Akira and Sadayo would have had the first part of their date, the irony not being lost out on the former two. **

**Yet again, I decided to use this while thing to show how much Sadayo has grown in telling Akira that she's fine with a solitary sit down with his parents. On the other hand, I wanted to portray Akira's protectiveness, and in some ways how it mirrors his mother, showing where he gets it from. I'm trying to build up some steady compare and contrast between the two couples, Akira and his mom can be rather hot-blooded while their respective lovers are the cooler heads, or at least that's how things can be some times.**

**The eventual heart-to-heart between the Kurusu and Sadayo is around the corner, everyone! Just be a little patient, and enjoy all that's going to happen between them. There's a few more things to be had before the two sides can sit down and the Kurusu can determine if their blessings can be given to this relationship. In the meantime, stay safe and healthy, everyone (and if you're in the US, please, stay indoors)! Oh, and for those of you that have it, be sure to enjoy the Royal! A remake that's been well worth the wait, and just the thing you could use to keep yourself occupied.**

**Also...R.I.P Bill Withers, who graced this world with some of the most heartfelt music ever made, and some of it just what's needed for times like now.**


	5. Chapter 5-Stepping into the Light

**Ah, chapter five, quite a little milestone, I'd say. I'd also like to thank everyone for the good reception that this story has received so far, thank you, everyone. Now then, onto the story! As promised, the string of encounters in Tokyo continue, and a long-awaited talk finally comes about! **

**I do not own anything.**

* * *

_**Chapter 5-Stepping into the Light **_

_**Yongen-Jaya, 9:33 PM…**_

They'd been through this a number of times, this quiet sense of melancholy that always came when their dates ended, when the time came for them to separate. This time was definitely a tad different than the rest considering everything they'd just been through over the last five hours. Then again, it also made the walk back all the more special in its own way. They never let the eventual parting way them down too much, not even now. _Especially _now.

It was quite surprising how…relaxed they felt. One could say that it was the calm before the storm, or perhaps it was the calm after the storm. Neither of the pair were as optimistic as to believe the worst was behind them, albeit they were glad the…first introductions were over with. As teacher and student, the closest analogy they could give was answering the first question on a test. What seemed daunting at first became a little less so after the first question, then it was onto the second and third and so forth. They wanted to believe that's how it was for them, they'd made it past the first benchmark and there was only one place left to go, forward. That wasn't to say there wouldn't be other unexpected hurdles, but Akira and Sadayo felt a sense of security and fortitude in moving forward to face them. They would have each other at one another's side.

Akira inhaled through his nose, a sense of familiarity washing over him along with an ethereal sense of warmth. He knew the streets of Yongen-Jaya like the back of his hands, almost as well as his own neighborhood back home in Meguro. The neighborhood practically was a second home, it had become his during his year-long stay in Tokyo. After all, it had so many things from the café he'd stayed in was, where the clinic he frequented sat, a bathhouse he went to in order to relax, and was the residential area of some of his friends and associates, especially the woman beside him. The woman he loved with all of his heart.

She wasn't blind to the inner musings going on in his head. "So, what do you think? Same old same or, or do you think something new has come along?"

"One half yes, and the other half no. On the outside, some things look the same while others look a little different. Ryuji called me during April and told me there were doing some remodeling in the neighborhood." Responded the black-haired teen. His eye for detail hadn't lost any of its gleam. As much as he was enjoying the walk back with his girlfriend, a part of him remained ready and alert, as well as paying close attention to the details of the world around him. He'd been away from Tokyo for over five months, that was a suitable time frame for some things to change. He was on his way to one of those changes now.

"They're putting up some new houses, one in particular, a custom housing project for an aristocrat." Replied the brunette thinking back to the evening she was walking home and came upon quite a construction scene. Being a residual district, it wasn't surprising that new houses and apartment complexes went up from time to time; Yongen-Jaya, on the other hand consisted of mostly what one would call the middle and lower class. One look at the site told Sadayo that whoever was moving in belonged a tad higher up on the pecking order. It wasn't completely out of the ordinary, but it certainly looked like someone with money was moving into the neighborhood. "Should be interesting, especially if they have kids or something."

"Already looking at future students, huh? That sounds like my teacher." Chuckled the former thief. He moved his hand from hers to around her waist and brought her in close. The blush on Sadayo's face put an even brighter smile on his face. "So, have you ever thought about…you know, a house and a car?" The former was one thing, the latter, well, this was Tokyo, public transportation was usually the default option, but that didn't stop a sizable portion of the populace from owning a car. His former boss was one such man, and Makoto herself had told him she planned on buying her own car when she was able to.

Sadayo glanced skyward. "I'd definitely love to move into a house, but it just being me…wouldn't seem right." The blush on her face grew. It wasn't like she was trying to hide where her train of thought was going. As proof of catching it, Akira brought her in closer, leaning over and planting a light kiss on her forehead. Once upon a time, public displays of affection like this were…well, they were welcomed, but they also left her feeling incredibly nervous, especially when they were done in her own neighborhood. That time seemed so far away from where they were now. "I mean, I grew up in a house with my parents and it was honestly the best thing in the world to me. One day, to have something like that for myself…with my…"

When he stopped, she stopped with him. He looked to her and she looked up to him. The teenager's arms lay wrapped around her waist, warmly anchoring her to him and her hands on his shoulder. It was a position they'd repeated countless times, and never once did the hearth between them fizzle out, at times it only grew stronger. Sadayo's breathing was cool and collected, a far cry from the frantic pants borne from her racing heart when all of this first started. A part of her had wondered if they'd make it this far into their relationship, and they had. For all intents and purposes, it was a miracle, but one that was ongoing. She wanted to keep it going, and looking into Akira's eyes, she could tell that he wanted to keep it going as well. That was without a doubt one reason why their relationship had worked.

Here they were, now looking towards the future, the far future as they both knew. A house was to be filled up with people, and nowadays, that also included children.

The more they thought about the implications, the more their faces blushed. Subject matter like this tended to bring out the emotional sides in both of them, especially sine they were both arguably at the age where planning for the future was a topic of thought. It certainly was for Akira, who was in his last year of high school, college the next objective and with it, a possible career path. Walking that road with him would be the woman in his arms, a woman who'd done all of that, not to mention was his rock of sanctuary, as well as a major part of his drive to make something of himself. She was someone he wanted to be part of the future he was trying to map out.

As he usually did, he leaned forward and bumped their heads together. Sadayo had come to recognize it as a habit of his, his way of searching for emotional stability; she always gave it to him, it had been one of the things that led her to realize her feelings for him went deep. Quieting her mind, she listened to the soft rhythm that she knew was his heart. Truth be told, she could use a little emotional safety herself. An inner voice chastised her for talking about thinks like living together and potential children, but another side of her was happy. She could vividly recall the point in her life when such thoughts were fantasies, stars in the sky out of her reach. Now, she had the courage to reach for those supposed distant stars.

"You know, a house and a card," Sadayo started after realizing that the silence had maybe gone on for too long. Not to mention they were on a timer. Mr. and Mrs. Kurusu had given Akira a curfew to be back by, and by Sadayo guess, he was going to cut it a little late. "Maintaining those things on a teacher's salary would be a bit difficult, not that I've blown through all the money the Takases gave me back."

"Same here, well, at least in terms of my thieving days. My parents made me put away a good chunk of it into a savings account." Admitted the younger man. "Managing finances, not exactly my favorite topic, but my dad's drilled a few things into my head, same thing with my mom. To be frank, they've both kind of accepted on some level whatever I do, I'm going to end up coming back here to Tokyo. My dad's a little excited and worried."

"You told me he has mixed feelings about the big city." Sadayo responded, she knew the reason why as Akira had explained it to her one afternoon.

"The fact that beneath the streets exists, or existed, a giant subterranean network of tunnels borne from the collective psyche of Tokyo didn't exactly help. Neither did telling him I had to fight the mastermind at the bottom level." The battle against Yaldabaoth had been anything but easy to explain, or pleasant. When it was all over with, Akira was surprised to find for a short time, most of the general public had merely stated they'd felt like the city had been hit by an earthquake and such. Later on he learned there was a bit more to it as people across the city, and even on the outskirts, had actually gone into comas, no doubt results of Yaldabaoth attempting to erase them from existence as he'd try to do to them. "To be fair, I think I've proven that I can thrive in the big city. That said, it probably won't stop him from worrying."

"He's your father, he's always going to worry about you, especially after everything you've already been through." Commented the teacher, her heart swaying in sympathy of her boyfriend's father. She could certainly understand his worry as _she _lived through the same thing. It wasn't easy knowing that someone you loved had been in danger, and ran the possibility of facing more danger in the future. "In all honesty, he…took things better than I was expecting. N-Not that he wasn't shocked or anything, it's just, compared to your mom, again, not that she had any right not to be mad or surprised about me."

Akira's face grew heavy with worry as he thought back to his parents' reactions. Being their son, having grown up under their roof and under their care and love, he had a very good idea of what kind of people his parents were. Loving and caring, yes, the type to fly off the handle…not so much. Granted, they had came in at a very…inappropriate time. He'd told himself that it could have been worse, and it could have been. Akira could almost hear Arsene whispering in his ear about how they could have happened upon either of them in the state of _undressing _each other, even something as mundane as sliding a jacket off. He shuddered to think of how things would have gone from there. Instead, they were now on this maybe safer road, but the end destination was still obscured by the fog of uncertainty.

Something told Akira that his parents knew this as well. "Most of the time, my dad's a very well-put together person, he's the one I always looked to when it came to, well, keeping myself together. He's had to work his way up to where he is, something that he told me he was pride of, and wanted me to follow the same path." The devilish laughter that made Sadayo's heart jump returned. A thin smile grew along her face, one that Akira noticed and was amused by. "This probably isn't what he had in mind though. Anyways, I think he wanted to give you a chance to tell your side of the story. Odds are seeing the two of us together gave him _and _my mom a bit of déjà vu."

Admittedly, Sadayo wanted to know more as her curiosity had been piqued. That said, she wasn't willing to pry. As far as things went, she was still a stranger to the Kurusu Family, even if she was dating one of its name bearers. Akira had told her about the personalities of his parents, what kinds of people they were, and even about his uncles.

Mere minutes ago, she'd musings on the prospects of a family with him, but such a thing would only happen if she gained the permission of his family, and he gained that of hers. Sadayo hadn't thought to much about how things would go over when Akira introduced himself to her parents.

She shook her head to push away the thoughts. There was already enough for her to deal with, and the issues were arguably more pressing. If anything, she had to win the approval of Akira's parents as quickly as possible. She had to prove to them that she was capable of being a good lover to their son.

"Sadayo, this is it?" Came the voice of said son.

_I did it again, guess some traits never do change. _Mentally chuckled the brunette facing forward to the five-story apartment building that she'd moved into about three months ago. It was certainly a step up from her previously complex, not that it had been run down or shoddy by any means. "Yep, lucky guess, huh?" She inquired, and giggled when his lips curved into a haughty smirk. A part of her wondered if he'd actually Google-searched it after she told him. Knowing Akira, he probably did, especially on the premises of one day returning to Tokyo. "If you want," she said nervously shuffling her feet. "I can…invite you for a…minute or two." Sadayo felt like her face was going to explode.

Her boyfriend certainly didn't help things by leaning over and kissing her atop the head, it practically caused steam to blow out of her ears. "Maybe next time, but for tonight, let's play it safe, huh?"

This was definitely a reversal of things. He was always the adventurous one and her the cautious one. Of course, that wasn't to say that they'd completely swapped stations.

While she accepted his decision, even agreeing with it, Sadayo found herself looking into his smoldering gray eyes. She could see the desire to go inside building within Akira, pushing him to ask her to open the door and let the two of them in. His arms were wrapped around her waist as they had been before, even tightening on her instead of loosening. She could hear his admittedly heavy breathing, the rhythmic breathing that came seconds before one of them made the move that connected their lips in a sensual embrace, one that could possibly lead to something else.

But not tonight.

Giggling, she placed a single finger against his lips. It seemed rouse him from the lustful spell that he'd fallen under; Akira laughed upon his awakening. His left hand found her right, his thumb caressing her palm before he moved it against his cheek. Both hung in the silent harmony of the moment, as they had done several times before. That was one thing that hadn't changed, it was something that probably never would if they stayed together. The sensual side of their relationship was indeed worthwhile, but it wasn't all there was to it.

"_Being able to hold you in my arms like this…that's enough for me. Letting you know that I'm here for you, and you accepting me." _He once told her one evening as an autumn shower doused the world outside the window.

The statement had hit like a silent missile, one that exploded into a cloud of joy and acceptance a she further buried herself in his embrace. Sadayo made sure to return the favor, and sentiment, when the time came for him to room with her avoid Shido. Those days were when she finally worked up the confidence to tell him that she longed for his physical and emotional presence, and that she was maybe enjoying having him around her home a little too much. Akira had laughed and told her that he would be more than happy to stay and that he definitely liked the fact that she enjoyed having him around. It was a pleasant far cry from when he first came to town and she wanted nothing to do with him just like everyone else.

Parting was a tad painful, but they knew they'd see each other again, someway, somehow.

"Goodnight, Sadayo." Spoke the dark-haired teenager finally pulling away from her. "Um, about the talk with my parents, do you…"

"Have them call me in the morning so we can put something together." She responded with confidence in her voice. It caused Akira to smile, as if he were seeing her beauty for the first time. As far as he was concerned, he was, he was seeing the beauty that he'd fallen in love with. "Don't be surprised if Sojiro ends up getting involved with all of this."

"He probably will." Akira laughed. "I mean, he knows, and he and my dad or old friends so…yeah, how do you feel about Leblanc?"

"I honestly can't think of anywhere else." She couldn't help but laugh at the irony of it all. Leblanc was practically a nexus for Akira's life in Tokyo. So much had happened in the café on work hours and afterward, and then the attic which had served as his bedroom. Sadayo _especially _knew quite a bit about the attic as she'd spent several long hours there, cleaning up the place and working at the work table set up to the side, and of course…those handful of times she'd slept there. Sometimes for the entire evening and night, in Akira's arms. She made a mental note to make sure _that_ little detail didn't slip out in front of his parents. "Goodnight., Akira."

Was there some sort of maturity to be found in him walking away and not looking back until the lights of her apartment building were all he could see? Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, it was the choice that Akira made. Besides, it wasn't goodbye forever, only for a day or two. Granted, in that timeframe, quite a bit could happen. He knew one way or another the woman he loved and his parents would be sitting down for a long talk. He'd be privy to the aftermath, not the event itself.

Learning to accept there were some things out of his control had been part of his transition from a boy into an adult. That was a piece of advice that his parents had instilled into him, and his grandparents. They had been right as even when he was the leader of the Phantom Thieves of Heart, there were many things he couldn't control and had to let take their natural course. Beyond that, deep down, he found the unpredictability of life quite enjoyable; it made it all so much fun and worth living. Such things were what led him to the fluffy-haired brunette who he'd just kissed goodnight, whose home he watched from a distance. The fact that he was able to stand there, a smile on his face in spite of the slight unease in his heart was proof that he'd made the right choice.

_**The choice to rebel, to walk down this path which may take you into the depths of hell, do you believe it to have been a mistake? **_

Three times Arsene had asked him that question in some form. The first time had been in Kamoshida's Palace and he'd been hesitant in answering no, it hadn't been a mistake. The second time he'd hesitated just a bit as it'd been after Okumura's death. The third time had been before the final battle.

"_Hell no, it wasn't a mistake." _

Chuckling at the old memories, the teenager began to walk back, knowing that he wasn't going to make it back in time, but prepared to face the parental lecture that likely awaited him. Behind him, disappearing soon as they hit the ground were the black feathers of a being who'd fell from grace, but in his fell, he'd found salvation, he'd found joy, he'd found resolve, he'd found his ability to walk forward and stand strong against adversity.

* * *

_**Shijiyama Hotel, 10:18 PM…**_

He didn't make it, but he liked to think that his parents wouldn't be too upset with him. It wasn't like he'd was coming back with any strange marks on his face or neck or his clothes in a disheveled state. Actually, scratch that last part, Akira knew his parents knew he was smart enough to make himself look presentable before he walked through the door. Even if something _had _happened, they no doubt believed he would try to be little obvious about it. They would have been right.

Thankfully, none of that was in play at the moment. He would be able to look them in the eye and tell them that nothing scandalous had gone on between him and his adult girlfriend who also happened to be his former teacher. Nothing save for their entire relationship. He'd be able to look his father in the eye and tell him that he'd made sure that she'd gotten home safely. Come to think of it, knowing him, that'd be his first guess as to why he wasn't able to make it back exactly on time. Depending on if his mother had calmed down, she would likely come to the same conclusion as well.

All of this was him merely wishing for the best as he walked across the lobby to the elevator. He didn't try to bite back the melancholic feel that came with walking the lobby without his girlfriend at his side. A whimsical side of him mused on what sort of situations might have came about with the two of them going up the elevator and retiring to a hotel room for the night. It wasn't like the thought hadn't crossed either of their minds. And again, knowing his parents, such possibilities was probably a reason for their strong reactions, especially his mother's. On the ride up, he hoped that time spent with her friends and his father had given her ample time to sooth her emotions. He'd seen her get emotional, at the best of times and at the worst; when it came to the latter, he pitied those who were the target if her ire. Knowing that his girlfriend could be one of those potential people left a bitter taste in his mouth. With all his might, he tried to push it back.

Akira was in no way surprised when he unlocked the door to the room and found his parents were already back. "Um, I'm back?"

His father met his gaze first. "So are we." A thin smirk tugged on his lips. "Don't worry, we'll cut you some slack this time, partially on account of, like we said, we just back about…ten minutes ago."

Silently taking in the news, he looked between his father and mother, noting how both of them were in somewhat looser clothing indicating that he'd arrived just as they'd finished slipping out of their more regal clothing. Something in his gut told him they'd bow shower then would be going to sleep for the night, he'd probably follow the same pattern if not for staying up a little late for his own purposes. None of which would include texting his Sadayo, he could wait until tomorrow morning, not to mention he didn't want to press his luck anymore than he already had.

His gaze met his mother's, instantly, Akira could feel his mind being read. She always had that power, she was where he got his own "reading" capabilities from.

She was the first one to speak, "So, how'd the date go?" Like her father, she had a little smile on her face, which in turn made Akira himself smile. Though it was far from what she'd expected, she was at least a little happy she was finally able to say the words. She once told him that every parent dreamed of asking that question to their child, and enjoyed the potential embarrassment that followed.

"Well," he answered trying to keep calm under his parents' gaze. "We went to visit the Takanawa Public Library, got to see some art work of a friend of mine."

"Yusuke?" His mother immediately jumped. For one reason or another, Akira had found his mother had a slight desire to meet his blue-haired friend. He pin-pointed the reasons why as to that he made him sound like an art-inclined friend she had back in her high school days. Akira briefly pondered about how the interactions between the two of them would go. "Well, anyways, did you give any of your other friends or associates a call?"

"No, I…kept my mind focused on one thing…or rather, one person." Responded the teenager with unease evident in his voice. Once more, he'd gone from cool and collected to shy and nervous, and fittingly, it was around the two people who'd brought him into the world. He could have still had his supernatural powers as a Phantom Thief of Heart and even they wouldn't have been able to make a difference, such was the power of parenthood.

His parents looked between one another, and then they smiled.

Akira blinked in confusion. "Um, can you two fill me in? You're starting to scare me a little."

Naturally, his mother giggled. Again, she was where his more…devious traits came from, supposedly. "Well, we're just happy you were able to enjoy yourself. Even though we have…let's say mixed feelings about who you were with. Speaking of which-"

"We respected each other's boundaries." The teenager in him had rose up and given an answer. Mercifully, his parents seemed to have been expecting it and laughed again. Though he felt a tad embarrassed, Akira found himself smiling. This was what he'd been wanting, the warm atmosphere with his parents that he'd grown up in, that always made him feel loved and cherished. "And by that, I mean I…well, you probably know this already, but I kissed her. And that was it." His eyes swerved over to his father. "I walked her back to her apartment in Yongen-Jaya. She lives in the area."

He could see his father mentally putting the pieces together. About a month after he'd came home from Tokyo, his father had told him that he'd looked up the neighborhood that he'd be staying in. Just in case, he'd told Akira, but the teenager knew the truth. It was really in case anything happened and the designer had to come to Tokyo himself. Akira had been slightly taken back, but touched by his father's actions. Now that they were beyond that, he could use that knowledge to place where his girlfriend was…and likely speculate as to what their relationship had been like.

Thankfully, whatever conclusions he came to, he decided to keep for themselves. "I see, I'm happy to hear that." Kunihiro spoke in a noticeable pleased tone. Akira couldn't help but smile a little at his father, who tried to play off his son's relief. He never was much good at hiding his affections; his mother had told him that was something that she loved about him and hoped Akira would take after. So far, the young Phantom Thief was inclined to agree to some extent, and he could say such traits were in no way flaws. "We'll take your world for it. Sit down, I…Akira, we…have some things that we should probably talk about tonight."

All three had known this was coming, it was coming from the moment Akira walked through the door and the family of three was complete. Now that family sat around the dining room table. While they'd done this before, these family sit downs, most had been in the quiet comfort of their own home, not this hotel thousands of miles away from their mundane town of Meguro. The tranquility of the sea-side town was far off physically and mentally. In spite of that, the tension was definitely there, it was arguably more intense than the last few sit downs they'd had.

From a larger perspective, it was more accurately those sit downs that had been centered on Akira and how he was handling everything. The topic of this up incoming discussion put some of those talks in a whole new light, at least from Kunihiro and Azumi's perspective.

Of all the secrets for their son to be hiding, this was one of the last ones they'd been expecting. Him hiding a girlfriend, yes. That girlfriend being his adult homeroom teacher?

To get through the conversation they were all going to need something to drink. Akira offered to make some coffee. It was rather ridiculous having coffee at this late an hour, but the parents accepted as they saw how the art of coffee brewing seemed to have become a hobby for their son, not to mention it kept him calm which he needed to be for this.

After the first sip, Azumi moved to speak first, but surprisingly her husband cut her off. "Was it consented?"

An invisible sigh of relief could be felt at that being the first question. It wasn't an outright dismissal like Akira would have feared, it was at least an attempt to understand the situation. "Yes, it was. I…I was the one who came onto her." In retrospect, that second part might have been best saved for a few moments later, after his parents had gotten some more questions in. Ultimately, it didn't matter as Akira took the shot.

And it was caught perfectly by both of his parents.

"Called it." Kunihiro said taking a sip of his coffee while his wife nodded.

"Huh?" Stammered their son.

"Akira, you're our son, we had a gut feeling if you ever got involved with someone, you'd be the one to make the first move." Azumi stated, her lips briefly twitching upward before sliding back into a frown. "That someone perhaps twice your age-"

"She isn't." He automatically quipped only to retreat inward. "S-Sorry about that."

Ignoring her son's outburst, Azumi continued onward. "And someone your teacher…heart attack is putting it mildly. Especially a teacher from the same school that had a sexual predator as one of its gym teachers."

Though he kept himself restrained, Akira's voice was tight with resolution. "She isn't anything like Kamoshida." The moment he and Sadayo began discussing potential revealing their relationship, Akira knew the comparison would be there. He knew that his parents, loving as they might have been, would think back to the mess with Kamoshida. It wasn't like his exposure had happened in a vacuum…nor were they ignorant of how the far Olympic star's downfall really came about.

His parents looked to him with steely eyes behind their passive faces. They too were doing their best to keep from jumping to conclusions, for their son's sake.

Azumi let out a breath she'd been subconsciously holding in. Akira couldn't say he was really surprised by it. "You…came onto her…Akira, we don't need to explain to you that doesn't make this situation look any better."

"I know that, mom, but…I didn't want you two thinking the worse of Sadayo." Pressed the black-haired teen keeping a tight control over himself and the words he spoke. "I just…I just want you two to know that she's nothing like Kamoshida, she'd never…she'd never do anything to hurt any of her students. She's a great teacher, and she's…" His cheeks flushed red as he met his parents' respective gazes. Sucking in a breath, he sat up straight and spoke one defining statement he hoped would reach their hearts. "I know what I did was incredibly stupid…but I did it because she was worth it…and I don't regret it."

The parental pair exchanged looks between one another right in plain view of their son, who they occasionally looked back to. When they looked to him, Akira could see the sympathy and worry wrestling with one another within their souls. He knew that it was an uphill battle for them to truly believe him; ultimately, Akira knew he wasn't defending himself and his decision, he was defending Sadayo. Though she was miles away in the safe comfort of her own home, her presence very much lingered in the air. He was the one that they trusted…but the woman he'd chosen to involve himself with was another matter entirely. Again, they'd been caught in an extremely compromising position and quite nakedly flirting with one another that left little to the imagination.

On top of that, Akira suspected that the night he first encountered Shido and the aftermath of that mess was playing a part in things. Especially with his mother, who looked very much like she was trying to accept his sticking up for the brunette teacher.

Finally, she found it in her to verbalize her worries. "Akira, it's not you that we're worried about…it's…her. Relationships like this…"

"I…I know." He softly interfered knowing full well where she was going. "Slim to none."

"At least while one half of the party is still in school." Kunihiro added creasing his brow. "I mean…the most I hear about these things happening is when one half of the pair has graduated and at least a couple of years have passed so it's not too eyebrow raising."

The teenage chuckled, "You know, Sadayo likes bringing up the same thing. She's pretty eager for me to graduate too."

"I can imagine." Echoed the older Kurusu before stopping himself and looking to his son with wide eyes. "Wait, she…she…she said that she'd wait for you?" Beside him, his wife snapped to attention as well.

He could feel them attempting to gouge the truth out of him. Akira didn't exactly blame them as this was a pretty pivotal moment. "Yes, she did. When I left f Tokyo, she…promised that she'd wait for me."

His mother's sharp eyes held him in place as she spoke next. "She said that…and yet you two maintained your relationship? A secret, long-distance relationship?"

"Yes." Akira answered feeling the constant thumping in his heart. "I mean she and I…"

"Have talked about certain things…haven't you?" Azumi Kurusu pressed, her gaze hardening. She was no fool, and she didn't raise her son to be a fool, especially when it came to dealing with women.

"Yes, we had a lot of talks about now…and…maybe the future." Furthered the teenage standing up to his mother's gaze. While his girlfriend was undoubtedly the center focus, that didn't mean that he was _entirely _off the hook, not yet anyway. "We talked about it…and decided we want to keep on going."

"Even now?" Kunihiro asked to which his son nodded, his stormy gray eyes so like his own hard and focused. The goateed man sat back and crossed his arms. His posture spoke not of anger, but of quiet acceptance of his son's resolve. There was a spark of pride in his eyes as he looked at him, then turned to his wife.

Azumi's expression was one of deep contemplation just like his, albeit her eyes shimmered with maternal pride over seeing her son standing up for what he believed in, for who he believed it. It was also painful as well since it was this same kind of attitude that had blown him off-course into a dark and dangerous path. Ironically, it was that new path that had led him to maturing into a man she couldn't help but be proud of, yet she also worried over. Such a contradiction was almost enough to make her laugh. A part of her wanted to try to talk him out of it, but he'd already come so far; like her, once he started walking on a certain path, he couldn't be detoured from it without a damn good reason. Azumi could think of none, especially in light of how resolutely he was willing to defend this woman.

It reminded her so adamantly of the romance that had blossomed between her and her husband, the romance that had survived for over twenty-five years and birthed Akira himself.

"Akira," she began. "We're going to talk to Ms. Kawakami. Alone. At Leblanc."

"I had a gut feeling that was coming." The teenager stated. "Sojiro…knows."

"I figured that." Kunihiro spoke.

His son looked downtrodden. "Are you angry with him?"

"Yes, I am…but…I'm also going to guess he…doesn't mind this?" In the several months he'd dropped his son into his old friend's care, Kunihiro had noticed the formerly repressed fatherly side of the café owner emerge. It didn't just emerge, it also grew. He gently smiled at those times that Sojiro had called him up and asked for advice on parenting, he'd stepped up to the plate with his own adoptive daughter, whom he heard saw Akira as a surrogate brother. For him and his wife, it had been comforting to hear about. "He didn't say anything? Not one thing?"

"_Enjoy yourselves." _Akira knew if he repeated that phrase, which had been a green pass to him, would get his surrogate father yelled at by his real father. It'd no doubt be comical, but possibly distracting from the larger issue. "H-He gave us his blessings." It was also for the best he left out the part where, he did that with full knowledge that he was leaving the two of them alone for the afternoon, on Valentine's Day. As with many other things, what had brought him relieved joy was now an invitation to more complications. Doubtlessly, all of it was best saved for another time, preferable after his parents had given their blessings.

Largely unsuspecting of their son's inner monologue, the parents stood up and finished off their coffee. "Alright, we'll go meet with Ms. Kawakami tomorrow at Leblanc. Or rather, we both will when we're able to." Azumi declared. Tomorrow was a day when she'd be hard at work teaching, meanwhile her husband and son would be off to their own respective interests. Odds were free time wouldn't be on the menu onto later on into the night, at this time tomorrow.

"Sojiro can keep Leblanc open for all of you. I mean, he did it for us when we were using it as a hideout." Akira offered.

"Then I'll give him a call in the morning, have him set some things up. Can you do the same for her?" His father asked.

"Yeah." Now that a plan for tomorrow had begun to take shape, Akira felt a desire to know where he would fit into it. Naturally, he had some calls to make, some friends to reunite with, and some places to visit. "Am I going to have a curfew again?"

"Yes." Both parents answered in unison.

"…Eleven?" Offered the teenager with hope in his voice.

"…Ten-thirty, and no doing anything reckless." Azumi stated. Her son's Cheshire grin grew along his face making her want to reach over and pinch him. Instead, all she did was sigh in acceptance. "Just don't do anything else that'll give us heart attacks."

"I'll do my best." Laughed the former knife-user. Both his parents sighed again then stood up and made their way over to him. The next thing the teenager knew, he was enveloped in a warm hug form his mother and father. "Sorry I keep on scaring the crap out of you guys."

"You know, over the past year and a half, I've kind of started to get used to it." His father admitted. "It certainly keeps our lives interesting, not to mention I get to see your mother get flustered more often."

"I do not! You were more flustered than I was!" Azumi cried out causing both males to laugh.

When the door had opened, there was a silent tension hanging over the Kurusu Family. Now, almost half an hour later and that tension was gone, replaced with the familial joy. One could have said it was a victory, for who, one venture a guess. Ultimately though, one goal of this trip had been achieved-to enjoy themselves. Though it'd certainly been unexpected, the Kurusus were definitely doing that, and they hoped the next day would be no different.

* * *

_**Saturday**_

_**Leblanc, 12:59 PM…**_

When the phone rang and he saw the caller ID, Sojiro knew his old friend Kunihiro Kurusu must have been in town, or was coming to town. It turned out to be the former as he'd told him that they'd arrived in Tokyo yesterday. He wanted to surprise him, but from the sounds of things, Kunihiro and Azumi had gotten a surprise of their own. One that needed to be…discussed at Leblanc.

That was when Sojiro got an odd mixture of joy and dread that hung on his face all morning. Futaba asked him if he'd had a nightmare or something to which he'd told her that it was nothing to worry about. She wasn't fooled though, Futaba kept on pestering him until he finally admitted that a certain someone was back in town.

"_Yeah, I know, Akira texted me this morning."_ She said as she went back to eating up her waffles.

Sojiro blinked in surprise. _"He texted you? Wait, how long have you been up?"_ He was half-expecting the answer to be since sunrise, which was about two hours ago.

"_About an hour ago."_ The orange-haired hacker answered. Sojiro chuckled. _"He told me that they couldn't bring Mona though, some the big team reunion really won't be complete. Not for a few days anyway. Haru has a meeting today and Ann I think has a photoshoot so it'll just be some of us plus some others."_ She hiked her legs up against the edge of the chair. He'd told her about doing that, but somehow, Futaba always seemed to keep her balance, and avoid banging her legs when she moved. Often enough. _"Truth is, I'm just happy that he's back. I've got so much I want to tell him and show him! Sadly, it'll have to be spread out through the week, but he said he'd be in town for that long so, no worries!" _

Hearing that put a brighter smile on Sojiro's face as he finished getting breakfast ready for himself. His daughter's joy was enough to keep at bay the sense of dread that came with the call from Kunihiro. Having been around quite a while, he knew when to be weary of certain calls, and depending on how certain calls went, to brace himself. A hunch of his told him that it would ultimately be about Akira's Phantom Thief life, another detail of it had come to light. Which one, Sojiro could only guess at. Hell, even _he _didn't know all of the details…and honestly, a part of him didn't want to. Maybe it was him doing more running away, but Sojiro simply understood that there were some things a man was better off not knowing. So long as Futaba was safe and sound, he could go on.

That happiness was how he was able to come into work feeling refreshed and relaxed. Plus, there was just a general sense of acceptance to it all. It wasn't like he was overly optimistic in believing that Akira's Phantom Thief life would forever remain a mystery to his parents; the boy himself had told him that he didn't want it to be that way. Sojiro had advised him that it probably wouldn't, but that he couldn't overload them with the details, especially since some involved him being in mortal peril. Others involved, well, Akira might not have committed any serious crimes, but he'd certainly broken a few laws that could raise some eyebrows.

Sojiro could understand the boy's pride in doing so; his parents, on the other hand, might have been a different story.

"Someone seems like they're in a good mood, I take it the kid's back?"

A smile curved its way onto the black-haired man's face. Akira had brought a great many...unexpected customers to his establishment, many who'd become regulars. The former yakuza-affiliated owner of "Untouchable" was one of them. "Lucky guess?" Sojiro asked letting his eyes wonder to the teenager sitting directly across from the tattooed man. Akira had brought a strange and interesting batch of customers to his shop, some of whom he'd gotten to know a tad personally, and some whom his daughter had gotten to know. "You kids have something planned for the afternoon?"

Kaoru's smile was practically ear-to-ear. "Y-Yeah, we're all going to hang out together! It'll be my first-time meeting some of them like Ryuji and Makoto, in fact, the latter promised to help tutor me."

"Making sure they're not spending all of their time goofing off." Iwai mused with a thin smirk. It was one that Sojiro shared.

"Any word on when he'll drop by?"

"No clue, but Akira told us that he'd let us know." Answered the dark-haired boy. Unlike the many other times he came in, he was dressed in casual clothes fit for the autumn weather outside. By his side was a leather bag emblazed with a gecko-logo. The café owner couldn't help but noticed how there was something a bit more…brighter in Kaoru's mood, how he was practically bouncing in his seat at the prospect of seeing Akira again.

Or maybe it wasn't Akira he was excited for. Iwai gave him a sideways glance, one accompanied by an all too knowing grin. The former yakuza was an especially sharp-witted man, perhaps too much so. Especially when it came to his son.

_Futaba's going out with friends. Futaba's going out with friends. She's…she's…_As he was fixing his next order, the black-bearded man got light-headed. _No, no! That's a part of growing up! Besides, it's not like they'll catch Futaba's eye…will they? N-Not to mention Akira will be there! _The thought of his daughter dating was nearly enough to make him lose his focus. That usually never happened while he was on the job which was a testament to his skill and focus. Granted, when his only daughter was involved, the child of the woman he loved…

"_Parenthood has a way of doing that." _Kunihiro had once told him over the phone. Sojiro could remember the deep-seated affection in his voice. At the time, he didn't believe that he'd ever truly know what that felt like, but time had thankfully proved him wrong.

At the ringing of the doorbell, he turned his attention to the door and saw the reason for that walk in, dragging a very much blushing and flustered Mishima behind her. He too was dressed for the chilly weather, a dark brown coat thrown over himself; he too was carrying a bag over his shoulders. Briefly, his eyes flickered back to Kaoru, whose face lit up upon seeing Futaba. He finally turned his gaze to Iwai, who shrugged; Sojiro knew he'd seen the way his adoptive son's face had brighten when the hacker had entered the room.

_Well, this is certainly going to be interesting to see. _Mused the coffee shop owner saying hi to his daughter and her friend. He watched as they all sat down together around not just Kaoru, but Iwai as well. The gruff former yakuza looked just a tad bit surprised at being surrounded by teenagers. For their part, Futaba and Kaoru immediately launched into a conversation with Mishima following suit shortly after. He looked none the worse for wear in sitting next to a man as gruff and intimidating as Iwai. It probably helped that from what he heard, he'd volunteered down at _Untouchable _from time to time. _The kid's been finding his courage, just like Akira said. _Thought the former government agent with a smile.

His smile broadened when he felt a familiar presence beside him.

"Yo, boss, you wouldn't mind a little help." The voice was just as whimsical as he remembered.

"About time you showed up, here I was thinking you'd have forgotten about little 'ole me."

There was a chuckle followed next by a playful jab at the side. "Forget about you and this place? Never. Besides, it's possibly where I'd like to spend my sunset years-serving coffee just like you."

"Hey, I'm not that old just yet, and I still have a few things left to teach you." Coolly retorted the apron-wearing man. He had a gut feeling if Akira was here, his father wasn't too far behind. Sojiro was proven right when he turned his eyes to the right and found his old friend trying to quietly slid into the booth at the end if the aisle. It didn't quite go as planned as he caught Sojiro's eye. The two old friends exchanged mutual smiles.

When he first met Akira, he could tell immediately that he was Kunihiro's son. It was the first time that he'd seen him in person, the only time he'd seen him were pictures sent over the internet, those pictures had featured him as a toddler and then as a grade-schooler. When he got his first look at his teenage self, he immediately saw the younger form of his old friend. He'd certainly seemed to be on track to inheriting Kunihiro's somewhat abnormal height, his hair was just as dark and curly as well. Where they differed was in the facial hair, Akira had none compared to his father's pitch-black mustache and goatee, both of which were perfectly groomed.

Admittedly, it felt good to see his old friend in the flesh again. He wanted to go for a stealthy reunion just as Akira had, his plans were interrupted.

"Akira!"

Sojiro had a seconds-long window to admire the way his adoptive daughter's face lit up before she bolted off her seat and toward him. Her smile, he'd been expecting. What he _hadn't _been expecting was for her to _literally dive across the counter _to envelop him in a familial hug that he somehow managed to catch. All while scaring the crap out of the patrons sitting at the counter.

"A-Akira!" Shouted Kaoru standing up.

"When did you get in? How?" Seconded Mishima, no less grateful to see him.

Thoroughly aware he was now the center of attention; the teenager shot the two boys a wink while holding onto his surrogate sister. He did his best to apologize to the other café-goers, albeit they seemed mostly receptive. He recognized some of them, regulars that he'd spent weeks, months serving.

"And so the prodigal son returns!" Shouted one of the patrons raising her cup in triumph.

From the back, Kunihiro watched in simple awe at how his son's presence lit up Leblanc. While nearly every were total strangers to him, that wasn't the case for Akira, especially concerning the orange-haired hacker whom literally jumped across the counter to give him a bear-hug like he was a long-lost relative. Watching the two of them, his mind clicked.

_So…that's Oracle, the hacker of the Phantom Thieves and Sojiro's daughter. _Thought the interior designer. He'd seen her picture, but seeing her in the flesh, seeing her personality was…quite a bit more. That had already been the case with his son's girlfriend, and now he'd met another member of the Phantom Thieves, the smallest but most tech-savvy of the bunch. She'd certainly thrown him for a loop as he'd said she would.

"I'm pretty sure this isn't what you were expecting, was it?" Quipped the shop owner leaning on the side with a smile on his face. He too was enjoying the reactions brought about by the realization Akira had snuck into Leblanc, and the fact that he was back in town.

"No, but coming to Tokyo that's been the norm, and it's only been a day at best." Stated the countryside native. He too was watching the scene with a smile, a smile of pride and relief. "I'm happy we were able to get him back here…he's happy, truly happy."

"He was happy when he was able to go home and see you two again, Kunihiro." Sojiro comforted. "It's good to see you, after all these years, after everything that happened." Between several calls and corresponding talks, Sojiro had gotten an idea of what had happened to his young protégé upon returning to his hometown. It hadn't precisely been a smooth transition, and it certainly left an impact on his parents. He knew Kunihiro well, when he felt like he was failing, it did a number on his self-estimate. "So, how'd it feel sneaking in through the backdoor?"

"Did Akira do that often?"

"He definitely enjoyed doing." Spoke the older of the pair with a chuckle, completely unsuspecting of the gears turning in Kunihiro's head. "So, I take it Azumi's working?"

"Yep, she should be finished up by late evening so…" His trailing off was due to the sudden sensing of eyes on him. He didn't have to think hard as to who those eyes belonged to; his hearing also gave him a clue. Swerving his gaze over to the counter, he saw all the commotion regarding his son had stopped and the focus had now shifted to him. Sucking in a breath, he rose from his seat and stood up. It didn't go unnoticed that Sojiro's daughter was hiding behind his son, shooting him constant analytical looks as if she were trying to figure out what made him tick. In contrast, the two boys stood up straight at attention and bowed to him. He bowed back. "Kunihiro Kurusu, it's nice to meet you all."

"Likewise." Came the voice of the gray-haired man who'd been the only adult at the table of teenagers. Like Kunihiro, he too stood a fair bit taller than the average person, but the aura he gave off was considerably more…intense. Then there was the lizard-shaped tattoo that he spotted on his neck. "Suppose I should introduce myself too…and thank you for rising one hell of a son. Muneshisa Iwai, former employer of your son."

"And one of the people who looked after him while he was here, for which I thank you, Iwai-san." Responded the dark-haired office designer looking the former yakuza in the eye and returning his handshake. "Akira, um, told me about you. He promised me a look around your shop."

"He's a model geek." Chirped the teenager from the sidelines, a smirk on his face as his father became flustered at the statement. At the proclamation, Futaba hopped atop his shoulder and looked to the elder Kurusu with wide and interested eyes. "He's also were I get my eye for detail from. And most of my book smarts."

"A-Akira," Commented the man himself, a blush burning his cheeks.

"Like I said, you raised one hell of a capable young man. So, is it true that you're…into models and the like?" Questioned the airsoft shop owner with a glint in his eyes. He knew that Akira had told his father of _Untouchable_'s line of work; when the teenager was working for him he openly stated that his skill with airsoft guns and other components was passed down to him from his father and grandfather, the latter of whom was a clock maker of the honest clabber. He'd been told the craft had passed from father to son.

"I, well, I dabble. I-I mean I've had an interest, a-and I've been working with my hands since I was a kid." Admitted the goateed man nervously brushing the back of his head. Unlike his son and wife, being the center of attention like this, around casual people, tended to sometimes leave him a bit flustered.

"Your dad's kind of…does he usually act like this?" Futaba whispered from the sidelines, and behind her surrogate brother.

"I think he's kind of cool. Think he could give me some design tips?" Karou questioned with an upbeat tone.

"You're free to ask him, you know when the time comes up." Whispered the former Phantom Thief.

"Speaking of time, Akira! You're officially on the clock!" The teenager gave a mock salute accompanied by a smile. "Now, um, Kunihiro, I'm pretty sure you want to…"

The interior designer's eyes traveled to the backdoor he and his son had come in through. Sojiro immediately got the gist of it and followed him through.

"Um, is something going on between those two?" Mishima questioned. He could sense a certain tension between the pair, something that troubled him just a little.

"Just catching up, that's all." Answered the for gray-eyed youth without missing a beat. Akira had an incredibly clear of idea of what it was they were going to be talking about. He trusted them to keep it civil…and Sojiro to not say anything that would give his father into a panic and shake the odds of his approval for his relationship with his former teacher. The coffee shop owner had told him of his old affairs and love tales and how he helped others with them, now was the time to see if any of them were up to snuff.

* * *

"Sadayo Kawakami."

That one name told the entire story to Sojiro. He instinctively winced, which was all Kunihiro had been hoping for.

Thankfully, there was no shouting of angry or shock, only a near exhausted sigh. "So you knew."

"Only towards the end." He offered not wanting his old friend to get the wrong idea. There was probably no better place to talk about this than in the back of Leblanc, where no one else was around and they could control themselves enough that when they walked back in, hopefully no one would be none the wiser. "I honestly didn't know he had a girlfriend until he brought her on Valentine's Day. Or rather, she walked in herself…right after I asked Akira if he'd been seeing anyone."

Kunihiro's eyes widened in modest surprise at that. _Valentine's Day? _He thought, his mind rapidly working to put a picture together. While Akira hadn't told him how long he and Ms. Kawakami had been together, he was willing to venture it must have been at least a few months, three months minimum. That meant that entire time they'd kept their relationship secret…if he'd had to guess, including from his own teammates, his friends. _At the very least you were careful about this, no doubt because you knew the repercussions. _"And then?" He directed towards his old friend.

Near immediately, Sojiro's expression tensed. Again, that expression told Kunihiro volumes.

Seeing the building frustration on his face, Sojiro spattered out, "I-I left the store to him!"

A vein near popped over Kunihiro's head. "Sojiro! You left the two of them alone! For the whole evening?! What were you thinking!"

"That they could handle themselves! Sure, she was his teacher, but she was also one of the ones he trusted the most and even rallied the entire school to help get him out when he was arrested for the second time!"

At the reminder of that, Kunihiro's sudden anger subsided, partially. He put his hand over his face, a common habit he did when frustrated but fighting to control it. While he didn't doubt Sojiro's words or his character, it was still quite a bit much to take in. Looking at him through his fingers, he could see the coffee shop owner was fully prepared for a parental-fueled rant, one could even say he'd come to accept it. Knowing him, he probably had realized it was inevitable from the moment Ms. Kawakami walked through the door several months ago.

On his end, Sojiro certainly had thought of how the eventual fallout would go if the relationship continued. Talks and sit-downs with the brunette teacher told Sojiro it would, and that it might possibly be long-lasting. If it was, then this talk, this revelation unleashed upon the senior Kurusus was again, inevitable. The only question was what the fallout would be like; Sojiro had been right on account of believing he'd be getting some of it. From a certain point of view, he knew he could be held liable for accessory to pedophilia.

In retrospect, this talk might have been better held within Leblanc's walls, at one of its booths. Sadly, it was daytime and had quite a few people there; this conversation was undoubtedly very private and very personal.

"She…did she really rally the whole school to stick up for Akira?" Finally spoke the elder Kurusu.

"Yeah, she did." Sojiro softly affirmed. "To be honest, everyone in Akira's inner circle did, but she definitely fought the hardest, no doubt because he fought pretty hard for her." Saying that was arguably a double-edged sword as it could seen as an affirmation of the teacher's feelings, but one could also perhaps view it as an attempt to save herself. Looking into Kunihiro's eyes, Sojiro saw he was weighing both options; he could only pray he leaned towards the former which had been the truth.

Crossing his arms, Kunihiro looked him dead in the eye. "Do you trust her…with Akira?" The question was point-blank, just as it should have been.

"Yes, I do." He responded with absolute certainty.

Seconds turned into minutes in which neither of the two fathers spoke. The space between them was filled up with the hum of the neighborhood around them, carrying on completely oblivious and uncaring to their discussion, and the people it involved.

There finally came a deep sigh from the interior designer. "Alright, that's something I'll, _we'll _take into account. Is it alright if we use Leblanc tonight for a seat down with her?"

"Of course. Leblanc closes at twelve, but something tells me that you'll try to make it before then."

"We're going to shoot for ten o'clock."

"I'll close up early."

"Sojiro,"

"Hey, I've done it before, especially on special occasions which this definitely is." He comforted. "Besides, the sooner we get this sorted out, the sooner you and Azumi will be able to sleep better at night. Speaking of which, how she' handling it?"

"Defensive, but…not overbearing. We had a talk about it last night. She's trying hard not to jump to conclusions but…" Secretly, he was grateful that Sojiro reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, he needed it.

"Believe me, I know. I know what it feels like to jump to assumptions, the worst-case scenario and worry about your loved ones because of something you don't have all the details on. All I can say is it's best to let the truth get out, to hear it from the people at the heart of the issue."

"That's always the only way to get to the truth." Kunihiro chuckled. "I'm hoping that we'll be able to get to it tonight."

"You will, Ms. Kawakami will give it to you…and I'm…hoping you and Azumi will give her your blessings." The last part definitely came out with a nervous laugh as he injected his own opinion into the conversation.

It didn't go unnoticed by the other man. "Shipping them already?"

"Look at you keeping up with the times."

"I should be saying that to you, then again, Akira told me a bit about what Futaba is like."

"Yeah, speaking of which…"

Now it was the architect who was smirking. "Someone's scared of his little girl growing up, isn't he?"

"I-I am not!" Cried the other man; all his response did was cause Kunihiro to snicker even harder. "H-Hey, we're talking about your kid here! Not mine!"

"But it's fun taking pot shots at you just like the good 'ole days." He retorted with a smirk so similar to his son's on his face. That was the thing about Kunihiro, on one hand, he could be a tad bit on the bumbling and soft side; however, once he found a "comfort zone", the cool and collected aura that Akira possessed had an origin. Of course, if you asked Kunihiro, he'd say that it actually came from his wife, who in turn taught him directly and indirectly to not only have a bit more backbone, but be unafraid to poke the hornet's nest for nothing more than amusement. She turned out to have been right.

And it had been the bane of Sojiro and the rest of his circle of friends ever since.

"Suppose I should enjoy this while I can, then again, this isn't really something to be joking about. Or at least, I know it doesn't seem that way." Sojiro sighed having decided to let his friend get his fun in. He could have used it far more than Sojiro could have. "How's Azumi now?"

"Like I said, we talked about things last night. She realizes she might have jumped the gun a little…but I know it's all still on her mind." Admitted the married man with a downcast expression. "Honestly, I don't think either of us are looking forward to tonight."

"There's a lot of things in life we don't look forward to, but we have to face them anyway." Spoke the coffee shop owner with a heavy sigh. Longing filled his eyes as he looked upward to the surprisingly blue sky. From time to time, mother nature seemed to lend an ear to the woes of humanity, other times she was simply uncaring. He couldn't tell which one it was today, but it ultimately didn't matter, it was up to them to make the most of things.

"That's true…but there are some positive things to look forward to as well." Kunihiro spoke pulling Sojiro out of his musings. Like meeting the girl who caught my son's attention…and meeting the people who helped keep him afloat here in Tokyo. Who helped give him something worth fighting for." The office designer wasn't exactly subtle in indicating who he was including in that grouping.

The act made Sojiro's heart leap in joy. "Alright, alright, let's get back inside. I think we've spent enough time out here getting all sentimental with each other, don't you think?"

"Yep, not to mention I cam kind of hungry and want to see if you've still got your old touch."

"Is that a challenge?" Coolly challenged the former playboy.

The two men re-entered the coffee shop, smiles on their faces, much to the delight of their respective children. One in particular was happy to see that her adoptive father was in a genuinely good mood around the presence of this stranger. It gave her hope that perhaps this stranger…wouldn't remain that way for long. There was a whole week for that transformation to occur.

* * *

_**Leblanc, 9:25 PM…**_

There had been times when the journey to Leblanc had filled Sadayo with absolute dread. Those first few trips had not been the highest points of her life; ironically though, it proved to be the beginning of the end of her suffering. Not that she knew that at the time.

Leblanc was a place of morbid despair for her. She'd heard of it, but never once did she set foot into the coffee shop in spite of several thoughts about doing so; ultimately, she could never find the strength to do so. Fittingly, she had to be forced into coming there by the hand of one of her students who'd found out about her second job. At that point, she officially thought her life couldn't get any worse.

And then she started to get to know the supposed "problem child" more thoroughly, more intimately. Gradually, she'd gone from dreading to coming to Leblanc to looking forward to it, finding solace and safety in the quiet little coffee shop, and especially in the presence of the black-haired teenager who worked there. The feeling persisted even after he'd returned to his hometown; Leblanc had now become a place of safety and comfort for her. It reminded so, even now as she made her way there knowing there would only be two people awaiting her.

These two had every right to be weary of her and even dismissive, but Sadayo had steeled herself. She was going to reveal the truth to them and make her way from there.

_The me of one year ago would have been terrified at the idea of doing this. Hell, I wouldn't even be in this situation, dating one of my students, or former students to be accurate. Not that it matters, he was sixteen at the time, even now, as he's seventeen, that's still one year shy of the age of proper consent. _As a teacher, as the adult, she kept those things in mind. They were what she tried to use to argue against her budding feelings for Akira. In the end, it ultimately didn't admit to anything, she still went on ahead with acting on them-pursing him, accepting his feelings for her. "You really went and did it." Muttered the teacher to no one but herself as she came to a stop before the café.

It looked no different now then as it did any other time. Arguably the difference lay in her, she'd practically been "saved" while inside of the walls and surrounded by the sweet scent of coffee.

That same scent greeted her as she stepped through the doors and searched the empty coffee shop for the pair that had beckoned her there. Almost immediately, she found them, sitting in one of the booths. At the jingle of the door, they turned and faced her. Of course, they'd been expecting her, after all, the door on the shop read closed to all but her.

Looking at them side by side, she could easily see where a number of Akira's physical and personality traits had come from. On the former front, he certainly took after his father, height and curly black hair and all. Seeing him, she had a faint idea of what he'd look like into his adult years. From his mother, he'd undoubtedly gained his sharp eye and intuition. The second Sadayo walked through the door, she felt the woman's blue eyes on her, quietly looking her up and down. Thankfully, there wasn't any malice or disdain in her eyes this time, just curiosity.

"Hello," Azumi began giving her a slight bow. "Thank you for coming."

Returning the bow, her eyes drifted over to the counter. "If either of you want, I could brew something for us to drink. Sojiro-san has given me permission to use the shop when I'm here."

Subtle as it was, she saw the surprise that shot through the both of them, specifically Kunihiro. As he'd known Sojiro the longest, he likely knew the implications of such an act of trust. For his wife, the reaction was somewhat different. Azumi Kurusu's eyes sharpened at her statement once the shock had passed. Sadayo earlier statement was on the money, she was where Akira must have gotten his intuition. Her statement wasn't just friendly offer, it was also an attempt to boost her image in their eyes by telling them that she had a certain level of trust with the man they'd trusted to look after their son. She could only hope it helped as they accepted her offer and she deposited her purse by the table they sat at then went behind the counter.

The old and broken her would have crumbled under the constant gaze of the two parents, but as she was now, Sadayo Kawakami, a proud teacher of Shujin Academy and lover of Akira Kurusu, was able to go about the task with a sense of calmness. Or rather, mostly calm, a part of her was still incredibly nervous, but she wasn't letting that fear stop her. She knew she _couldn't_ let that fear stop her.

While skilled, she wasn't quite good enough to create the detailed designs atop the drinks, that honor belonged to her boyfriend and his mentor. Still, Sadayo was good enough that when she served out drinks, she was able to get some high marks, and not just from those who felt obligated to give them. Taking a calming breath, she walked over and placed the tray contained the flat white and breve down in front of the married couple, who thanked her. All Sadayo decided to go with was a glass of fruit juice, particular strawberry fruit juice from the newly fixed up fridge.

Following several seconds of first drinks and nods of approval, the talk began.

"So…um, where would you like me to start?" Somewhat nervously began the teacher.

"We feel it's best if you began from the beginning…and please, don't leave out any details." Kunihiro started sitting up straight and looking her in the eye with a stern face. "That said…I'd like to get this off my chest here and now." Moving his drink to the side, he placed both hands atop the table and bowed his head, shocking both his wife and the woman in front of him. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you for what you did for my son."

Confusion quickly consumed the expression of his wife and the teacher, albeit not for long in the latter's case. She immediately recognized the incident that he was talking about and bowed her head.

"I would like to say that I was acting because he was one of my students, but…the truth is…"

Azumi's eyes softened as she watched her husband. While they didn't reach the same levels as before, they did harden as she looked back to Sadayo. "Would you have fought for him even if you two weren't in a relationship?"

"Yes, because boyfriend or not, he was one of my students and I took a vow that I'd look after each and every one of them, no matter the circumstances." She answered affirmatively.

For a moment, the gymnast seemed to regard her with neutrality, then came the brief upward tick of her lips. The makings of a smile. Sadayo felt an inner part of herself sigh in relief, but kept it restrained, this was still a long way from being over with. In fact, it was just beginning.

The matriarch of the Kurusu Family took a long sip of her breve, her mood unreadable, at least until she looked Sadayo in the eye. "Alright, now then, back to the beginning. We'd like to know the full story of your involvement with our son…from the beginning."

"Of course." She said lacing her hands together. "It…well, it all started when he enrolled at Shujin Academy, I was there when Principal Kobayakawa…welcomed him to the school." Sadayo knew she wasn't particularly trying hard to hide the fact that the "welcoming" had been less than pleasant. From the expressions on the parents' faces, they could already see how it must have went; based on her lack of commentary about her role in it they were no doubt concluding that she hadn't exactly helped much. They were right. "All in all, he was told to stay out of trouble and not make too much of a scene while he was attending Shujin."

Azumi took another sip of her coffee. "Akira didn't do that, did he?" There was a slight whimsical tone in her voice. It wasn't surprising given that she knew her son extremely well…and the month after his enrollment at Shujin had been anything but quiet.

"No, no he didn't." Answered the brown-eyed woman with a humorous laugh. "He definitely didn't…and that ended up being the best possible thing he could have done. It probably saved Shujin…it saved me."

Hearing the statement caused the parents to look between one another in curiosity, then back to her. They'd already heard the story of "Kamoshida Scandal" from their son, who'd helped expose the man and bring him down. Now it seemed they'd be getting it from another perspective, that of one of Shujin's teachers. Apparently, it also somehow helped mark the beginning of the relationship between this teacher and their son.

The night may have seemed late, but in truth…it was just beginning.

* * *

**I'll cut things off there, sorry if it leaves you all wanting to see what happens next…buuut hey, cliffhangers are kind of fun to do! Originally, I did intend to have this chapter include the entire sit-down talk between Sadayo and the Kurusu, but once I wrote in the meeting getting set up with Sojiro, things kind of took a different turn and I took a different route with Kunihiro going to Leblanc and showing a bit of his relationship with Sojiro. It was admittedly pretty fun to write, especially considering the dynamics between them. **

**I think you can all see that Sadayo's association with Shujin has given her an extra mile to climb. In my opinion, this is to be expected since Kamoshida's crimes and the fact that they were practically common knowledge at the school hurt it on a large scale. As stated in-story, it didn't happen in a vacuum and news of it like at least got some air time, especially once the Phantom Thieves started taking off. This would have dealt a massive blow to Shujin's reputation, then came the fact that just a couple of months later their principal is killed…and after that the gang is framed for murder and the speculation (which is entirely right) that they're students of Shujin. Yeah, the school's reputation and odds are those of its teachers would take a pretty big hit. On the flipside, the fact that Sadayo rallied the school to help get Akira out of juvey sort of balances things out. Of course, all that's only one piece of the puzzle, the rest is coming up next chapter which will see the full discussion…and the results. Oh, and Akira hitting the town with his friends. That's another reason I had to break this chapter up a little. **

**Until then, keep safe and healthy everyone!**


	6. Chapter 6-A Man and a Woman

**Hey, everyone. Hopefully you're all doing well. I'm sure this chapter is what all of you have been waiting for, the full sit-down between Mr. and Mrs. Kurusu and Sadayo! I'll save the author commentary for the end, so without further ado, enjoy! **

**I do not own anything.**

* * *

_**Not What You Were Expecting**_

_**Chapter 6-A Man and a Woman**_

* * *

_**8:33 PM…**_

"Alright, any advice?"

The Plague looked up from her magazine with a neutral frown that quickly twisted itself into a devious smirk. "Avoid bringing up the fact that you repeatedly banged their son? Making him scream your-"

"Any advice other than that!" Shouted the language arts teacher, her face quickly turning beat red. Admittedly, she'd walked headlong into the trap, which she should have known better than to do. Sadayo wanted to kick herself, but she restricted her frustrations to a heavy sigh. When she looked up, the goth doctor was still smirking at her, having clearly enjoyed getting her joke in. It would hopefully be the last one of the evening. "Look, I'm perfectly serious here. I'm talking actual advice that I can use to avoid…never seeing Akira again." Any pretense of joking was gone as the statement was uttered. Tae's face grew heavy as did Sadayo's, but the doctor's lacked the sorrowful longing evident in the teacher's eyes. It was obviously more personal for her than it was for Tae, and for good reason.

That was also reason enough for her to truly dig deep and give the best advice she could to her brunette friend. It was really forcing Tae to dig deep as this sort of thing…wasn't exactly her forte. If she were honest, it was actually more of Sadayo's, after all, she was the romantic. She was the one who tended to lose herself in love novels and TV shows that dealt with subject matter like this. As for Tae, well, she had her literary and TV interests…albeit they heavily diverged from what her friend preferred. In her stories there was a possibility that one of the parents of the couple would be dead, insane, a criminal, shady, or some combination of the above previously mentioned. Yes, Tae was that kind of person and proud of her tastes, but at times like this she wished she'd branched out a little bit more. Even her high school years were being drawn upon, albeit she cursed as she noted those weren't particular of much help.

Letting out a heavy sigh, the doctor rubbed her temples and began to speak. "Alright, how's about we start with a list of what not to say? How's about that?"

"That'll be an interesting list." Sadayo drily noted. "I'm pretty sure we both know what's going to be on the top of it. Granted, I won't be able to get out of telling them that Akira and I have slept together. I _have _to tell them that part."

"You probably should." Tae added. "Look, if you want to bring my name up, if you need to, do it. Hell, there's a good chance that the Kurusus already know a little about me, that was the medical supplier for the Phantom Thieves." There was a beat between the two women as they looked to one another. Both being adults, both being somewhat…world-weary, they had an idea of what parents would think when hearing that their son, whom they suspected had been keeping secrets from them, had a private medical supplier. This normally would be troubling to say the least, but throw in said son being one of Japan's most wanted and having broken who knew how many lies…well, again, heart attack was the word. And now, said son had been revealed to be dating an older woman, who was also his teacher. Tae knew a little about Akira's parents, they were no fools, and from what Sadayo had told her, they were fiercely protective of their son, especially his mother. A stray thought passed by in the back of her head.

"At the very least I can tell them we used protection, hell, when I realized that I…wanted to o that far with Akira I…well, I was already on the pill in case…you know." The formerly composed expression on the doctor's face broke giving way to feminine sympathy. Sadayo was used to such looks, especially from Tae who had become one of the closest friends in her life. As fate would have it, they were brought together by a mutual acquaintance who'd changed both of their lives for the better. Who'd saved the two of them. "I know that's going to come up, my stint at Victoria."

"No matter what, you can't let that define, you're better than that, you were always better than that." Defensively insisted the blue-haired woman. A warm smile grew along the brunette's face while the doctor's was more casual. "Look at me, sitting here playing supportive best friend to you, I guess I'll really have to give Akira a piece of my mine when he comes to visit me." Both women laughed at the future meeting between the pair. For her part, Tae felt a little proud at the fact that she was amongst the first to know that the white-masked Phantom Thief was back in Tokyo. Naturally, Sadayo was the first to know out of _all _of them, even his own teammates. She had a feeling there might be some repercussions for that, but that would hopefully be years down the line when there wasn't a need for anymore secrets. After tonight, Tae hoped that future would be one step closer. "Sadayo, did you ever think this is how it would happen?"

"Of course not, hell, Akira isn't even in college yet." That was another little nugget that had been sitting in her brain. When she and the black-haired "crime boy" started dating, Sadayo had no idea how far it would go. As time passed and their relationship not only continued, but grew, parts of Sadayo's mind began to turn. Just as she found herself able to look forward to the future, she began picturing what her and Akira's intertwined future would look like. Call it a hunch, but a part of her was thinking discussion of that future would come up at this meeting. It was practically inevitable since Sadayo had every intention of telling the Kurusus that she…she wanted her relationship with their son to continue. Sadayo wasn't expecting making that declaration to be easy; nothing worthwhile in life ever was. "Maybe after a year or two…when maybe talk about moving in together came up, but…"

"Technically speaking some of that is on the table." Tae gently probed. "By this time next year, Akira will be in college, probably here in Tokyo. He'll need a place to stay."

"Yes, he will." Sadayo answered. Like the doctor, she was well aware of where the answer lay, and the long hard road it would likely take to making it true. "That's another topic that's going to come up, meaning I'll have to tell them that when Akira was…laying low, he stayed with me at my place." There was a pause as the brown-shaded eyes of both women met. Again, they were both adults, thus they were extremely aware of what could happen when a man and woman were alone together for a noticeable stretch of time. Especially if those two people had an attraction to one another. "To be honest, the more we talk about this, the more…well, not really excited, but the more eager I am to go face them."

"Feeling bold? Has all the fear left you?" Jested the punk goth doctor.

Sadayo laughed. "Nope, I'm still scared shitless, but I don't plan on running away. Akira taught me that, and I refuse to ever turn my back on anything he taught me."

"I'd advise maybe bringing that up, perhaps as an ace-in-hole when they ask what you see in your son. You know, besides his good looks." While Tae was doing her best to be serious, she simply couldn't resist. It was definitely worth the reward as Sadayo's glare was greatly undermined by her tomato-colored cheeks. A mischievous smile spread over Tae's face causing Sadayo's cheeks t further poof out before she finally gave in. Amused laughter burst from her mouth as she silently took in her victory.

"One day, I'm going to get you back for this." Groaned the fuzzy-haired woman. "Seriously, just you wait, it'll happen completely out of the blue. You'll never see it coming."

"Yes, yes, I'm absolutely sure about that, but tonight is about you, right?" Waved off the doctor which only caused Sadayo to groan again. Eventually, she picked herself up, literally. Tae looked to her and smiled. "I like that look in your eyes, it's what I'm sure they'll be hoping to see."

She knew that Tae was right. Immediately, her mind flashed to the blue-eyed woman who was the mother of her boyfriend, and the one whom he'd supposedly inherited his more "eye-catching" traits. One of them had been a strength of will, and hostility toward those who would seek to harm his loved ones. Looking back, Sadayo couldn't help but laugh a little at the surprise first meeting between her and the Kurusus. The sharp, hostile glare that Azumi Kurusu had shot her was close to the same that her son had shot the Takases when they came to harass her at the hospital. Looking back on it, she could call it proof that the two were indeed mother and son. That said, Azumi's glare had been lacking compared to Akira's, not to mention she remembered the near physical aura of malicious protectiveness that surrounded him as he stood in front of her, guarding her against the words and glares of her two abusers. Again, not as intense, but that same protectiveness had rose up when she found herself the target of the accusing looks of his two parents. Sadayo had been both relieved and terrified.

The time had come for her to confront those looks on her end.

"Tae," began the high school teacher. "Thank you for coming over, it means a lot."

"You know, we really didn't do much for that list of what not to do." Messily joked the goth doctor with a lazy smile.

"Just you being here, talking to me was enough." Sadayo replied back with a serene smile. She was another one of the many things she had to be grateful for, one of the many things that Akira had given her, directly and indirectly. Another more noticeable one was the apartment that the two women sat in. It was without a doubt a step up from her previous apartment, far more spacious and cleaner than her old one. "Two years ago…I didn't have someone like you to talk to, I didn't have a nice place like this, I didn't have the ability to raise my head up and high and say that I'm proud." Looking back, she laughed at the encouraging smile that Tae was giving her. "I have Akira to thank for all of it. It may not be enough for his parents, but I want them to know that…I want them to at least know that their son managed to reach out and help one person while he was here in Tokyo."

"More than one, dozens in fact." Chirped the blue-haired doctor, now standing up and walking over to the teacher. "On top of that, he saved all of Tokyo and maybe even the world from what was basically the apocalypse."

"Yeeeah, I think maybe that should be added to the list of, 'don't tell'." A nervous smile and nodding of the head followed. Truth be told, _Sadayo _was still trying to wrap her mind around that part, as were the rest of the adults in Akira's inner circle. She honestly didn't know if they'd been blessed or cursed to see the sky turn blood-red, blood itself fall from the crimson clouds, and see horrid bone structures shooting up out of the ground and arching their way over Tokyo. The horror was somewhat alleviated when _everyone _started seeing the distortions…which eventually led to thousands of people screaming in fear and horror at what was happening around them. Sadayo had felt fear, but not for herself or for the world at large, she felt it for her young boyfriend who was no doubt at the center of it. Indeed, he was, and he'd ultimately gone on to save them all. That was the story that she wanted to tell the Kurusus, not as a reason for why she fell for their son, but so they could know how special Akira truly was, that he was a hero.

By extension, that made her the maiden who'd fallen for the hero. Albeit Sadayo was a tad…older than the girl the hero was expected to get with after saving the world. This was no fairy tale though, life continued even after the 'happily ever after' that came with Akira getting released and his record free of the vile blight Shido had inflicted upon it. Likewise, love had blossomed between a hero who society still saw as just a normal teenager at best and a still a criminal at worse…and her, a formerly overworked teacher who was getting her life back in working order. Even if someone ever dared to put such a tale to paper or script, this was Sadayo's life. Every second that passed was a second in the real world, a second in which life went on. She was ready to move on, and that's exactly what she did as she grabbed her things and said her last goodbyes to Tae, who met her at the door. The doctor gave her a firm pat on the shoulder and wish of luck before they went their separate ways. She was on her way to a get together of medical friends, and Sadayo was off for the fabled face-to-dace with her teenage boyfriend's parents.

* * *

_**Yongen-Jaya, 9:10 PM...**_

It was a tranquil walk by all accounts. The fall weather was neither cold nor hot, a moderate balance between the two with the occasional chilly breeze that brushed up against her navy-blue jacket. Ever present in her ears was the chatter of the nightlife, in full swing. Ordinarily, she'd be either at home or enjoying some of that nightlife herself, now that she had the ability to. She was sure that Akira was out there himself, no doubt with some of his friends. Sadayo was happy for him from the bottom of her heart and hoped he made the most of the night. In her own way, she was going to as well.

Going to Leblanc was ordinary for her, especially when she had to go to work the next day. It was all routine for her, having become so since she got that first request over a year ago. So many times, she'd walked the numerous paths that led her from her home to the quaint café she'd lost track. Interestingly, this was the first time she'd ever gone there to meet someone other than Akira. He'd always been her true destination in one way or another. Even after he returned to his hometown, she could always feel traces of his presence whenever she entered the quiet and serene café. Now, that feeling had taken on a strange new tune to meet the ones who'd brought him into the world. There was no end to the gratitude she and countless others owed the two of them.

Sadayo wasn't expecting much in return even if she made such feelings known. All she could ask for was that they were willing to hear her out.

As evident by their calm, almost relieved posture, they were willing to give her that much; it was cause for an internal sigh of relief. The patriarch of the Kurusu family raised a hand to greet her as she walked in. It was just them, as it was supposed to be. They all owed Sojiro thanks for closing up early thus allowing them use of Leblanc. Odds were, Sadayo would be trusted with closing up; it wouldn't be the first time.

From the moment she walked in, Sadayo felt Azumi Kurusu's eyes on her. Luckily, they held no malice or suspicion as she stood up and bowed to her. "Hello, Ms. Kawakami. Thank you for coming." She said in a respectful voice that further put Sadayo at ease.

"If either of you want, I could brew something for us to drink. Sojiro-san has given me permission to use the shop when I'm here." Was her response after returning the bow. There was a little bit of relief in seeing the slight shock in their eyes at her offer. They surely knew that Sojiro was rather protective of his café and likely only allowed workers such as their son to touch the supplies he used to brew coffee and such. The fact that she so brazenly offered to do so no doubt sent a message to the two of them. As they nodded, Sadayo saw something flash in the eyes of Kunihiro Kurusu. If she had to venture a guess, perhaps he had come to Leblanc earlier, no doubt to talk to Sojiro to arrange the whole meeting. Odds were her name had come up…and the fact that the black-bearded café owner knew of the secret relationship between her and Akira. Sadayo could only wonder how that talk had gone; she was pretty sure that Kunihiro probably wasn't pleased about it since it meant a friend of his was keeping yet another secret involving his only son.

A tense peace and quiet reigned as Sadayo fixed up a cup for each of the Kurusus; both parties welcomed the tranquility. They all seemed to lose themselves in the gentle hum that came with having coffee prepared, Sadayo certainly did. One of the many things she'd learned coming to Leblanc was how easy it was to lose one's self in cooking. Even if only for a moment, it could provide a much-needed oasis from the troubles of the outside world. Sadayo had learned to enjoy that, and handle the clenching in her stomach that came with offering her creations to others. Sitting across from the Kurusus, she watched them take several sips of her freshly brewed coffee. Much to her relief, their faces lit up with each sip.

She sent a silent prayer toward Akira and Sojiro, thanking the both of them for taking the time to tutor her.

"So…um, where would you like me to start?" Somewhat nervously began the teacher.

"We feel it's best if you began from the beginning…and please, don't leave out any details." Kunihiro started sitting up straight and looking her in the eye with a stern face. "That said…I'd like to get this off my chest here and now." Moving his drink to the side, he placed both hands atop the table and bowed his head, shocking both his wife and the woman in front of him. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you for what you did for my son."

Confusion quickly consumed the expression of his wife and the teacher, albeit not for long in the latter's case. She immediately recognized the incident that he was talking about and bowed her head.

"I would like to say that I was acting because he was one of my students, but…the truth is…"

Azumi's eyes softened as she watched her husband. While they didn't reach the same levels as before, they did harden as she looked back to Sadayo. "Would you have fought for him even if you two weren't in a relationship?"

"Yes, because boyfriend or not, he was one of my students and I took a vow that I'd look after each and every one of them, no matter the circumstances." She answered affirmatively.

For a moment, the gymnast seemed to regard her with neutrality, then came the brief upward tick of her lips. The makings of a smile. Sadayo felt an inner part of herself sigh in relief, but kept it restrained, this was still a long way from being over with. In fact, it was just beginning.

The matriarch of the Kurusu Family took a long sip of her breve, her mood unreadable, at least until she looked Sadayo in the eye. "Alright, now then, back to the beginning. We'd like to know the full story of your involvement with our son…from the beginning."

"Of course." She said lacing her hands together. "It…well, it all started when he enrolled at Shujin Academy, I was there when Principal Kobayakawa…welcomed him to the school." Sadayo knew she wasn't particularly trying hard to hide the fact that the "welcoming" had been less than pleasant. From the expressions on the parents' faces, they could already see how it must have went; based on her lack of commentary about her role in it they were no doubt concluding that she hadn't exactly helped much. They were right. "All in all, he was told to stay out of trouble and not make too much of a scene while he was attending Shujin."

Azumi took another sip of her coffee. "Akira didn't do that, did he?" There was a slight whimsical tone in her voice. It wasn't surprising given that she knew her son extremely well…and the month after his enrollment at Shujin had been anything but quiet.

"No, no he didn't." Answered the brown-eyed woman with a humorous laugh. "He definitely didn't…and that ended up being the best possible thing he could have done. It probably saved Shujin…it saved me."

Hearing the statement caused the parents to look between one another in curiosity, then back to her. They'd already heard the story of "Kamoshida Scandal" from their son, who'd helped expose the man and bring him down. Now it seemed they'd be getting it from another perspective, that of one of Shujin's teachers. Apparently, it also somehow helped mark the beginning of the relationship between this teacher and their son.

That story was told from the beginning, which also ironically marked the end of Kamoshida's "reign" at Shujin Academy. A reign that Sadayo had been an unknowing and much ashamed part of.

"As you must already know, one of our former gym teachers, Kamoshida, was a sexual predator who preyed upon the female students at Shujin." Sadayo started, her shoulders feeling heavy and her voice tight. This feeling wasn't unique to her. It had been an odd comfort to know that she wasn't the only one who felt a sense of guilt over the apathy shown to Kamoshida's actions. That night, the relief turned into shock as she was praised for being amongst the first to apologize to the students for said apathy. Sadayo was happy, but she didn't take it as a free pass or absolving for her crimes. She was never expecting to be absolved by anyone. Looking up, she saw she still held the attention of both parents. "His actions…they were…common knowledge. Especially amongst the student body."

"I…take it Akira discovered that when he arrived?" Kunihiro sighed. The story was incredibly easy to put together; even if it hadn't been splashed all over the news, Kunihiro could see how things could have played out. For better or for worse, what the fuzzy-haired brunette had described was soberingly common in schools all across the world.

The nod of the teacher confirmed that one of the many perils of school life had plagued his son, and after it'd taken such a drastic, horrific turn that he and his wife feared would haunt him for the rest of his life. As they'd learned over the last few months, the events certainly had an impact on him. Glancing over, he reached out and placed an arm around his wife's shoulder. She sorely needed it.

"I'm…I'm…" She began, sounding truly heartbroken at the first piece of the tale. "When I accepted we had to send him away, I…I tried to find the best schools that I could. Shujin came up and I talked to Kunihiro, I-"

"Azumi," Softly cut off her husband. "I'm the one who got all excited and pulled all our chips to get him in."

"Mr. and Mrs. Kurusu," Cut in Sadayo. "Please, if anyone to blame, it's me and the rest of Shujin's staff. W-We knew, we knew what Kamoshida was doing, but we…we all chose to stay silent. Very few people stood up and said anything, if they could find the will to. Those that did…" The memory was an uncomfortable one for multiple reasons. In the past, she'd have preferred to leave it buried, but Sadayo was trying to be better. Being better meant delving into that locked vault. "There was one teacher who spoke up against Kamoshida, disgusted by it and his continued presence at Shujin. Principal Kobayakawa fired her…while the rest of us faculty did nothing. It was clear that for all his heinous behavior, Kamoshida was a…under him, sports teams such as the volleyball team could bring in awards and trophies, all of which were beneficial to the school's image." Simply using the words "good" and "Kamoshida" in the same sentence was enough to make her stomach crawl forcing her to use a different descriptor.

Thankfully, she got her point across. "I can…believe that. A school like Shujin would look at its image more so than the health of its students, at least that's what I've gathered while this Kobayakawa was principal." Given her interests, it was only natural that Azumi had an idea of who Kamoshida was, professionally of course. His employment at Shujin had caught her eye when it was decided that's where Akira would be going to school at during his prohibition. What dim hope she'd had was snuffed out when she looked up on her phone during a work break and saw Shujin Academy plastered over the news. It wasn't until she was able to call Akira herself did her fears began to die down, and even then a part of her toyed with the thought of bringing him back to Meguro.

"Kamoshida certainly brought home the accolades alright, though for the volleyball team and no one else. All the other sports teams were disbanded, including the track team, albeit that was only as a way to get back as Sakamoto-kun for finally saying something to Kamoshida's face." There was a pause as Sadayo readied herself to dive into the vault of unwanted memories. In spite of it, she looked up to the Kurusus with a smile on her face. "Sakamoto-kun…Ryuji, I'm sure Akira's told you about him."

"His best friend." Kunihiro said with a relieved smile on his face. He'd hoped that Akira would be able to make friends at his new school, friends who wouldn't be too put off by his criminal record or his country origins. From what he'd been told, this Ryuji Sakamoto had not become his closest friend, but his "right hand man" as he liked to call him. "He told us that they found a common enemy in Kamoshida, and that taking him down brought them together." The interior designer paused as he looked to his wife, then to his son's girlfriend. There was a deep breath before he spoke again. "He also told us that he was his first companion when he…stepped into Kamoshida…Palace I believe it was called. Akira told us it was shaped like a castle."

She was somewhat thankful that Akira had at least explained some of what the Metaverse was to his folks. Albeit they were likely trying to wrap their minds around it just as much as she was. It still felt surreal to think that her boyfriend's adventures through it began at the school she worked at. When he explained to her exactly how Kamoshida saw the school, she felt a new level of animosity erupt toward the now imprisoned man.

That said, she wasn't exactly too surprised that the former Olympic athlete saw the Shujin as his own personal kingdom for him to rule.

"Kobayakawa had practically surrender any form of power to him." She started so they could get a better idea of what it was Akira had to deal with. "For all intentions and purposes, he was the king of the school, and had no trouble reminding everyone of that."

Azumi took a long sip of her coffee. Her hands were shaking. "I…take it Akira found that out the hard way?"

Sadayo nodded. "His record was leaked on Kamoshida's orders."

_Thunk! _

She didn't jump as Kunihiro's right fist came down against the table, rocking the cups and containers that laid atop it. Like his wife, he too was shaking, but with the quiet fury of a father whose son wronged. Azumi looked to her husband with sympathy and reached over and cradled his hand. For Sadayo, it was an all too familiar scene.

"Ms. Kawakami, when our son first arrived at Shujin, where were you?" Spoke the interior designer, his voice tight and controlled. Azumi Kurusu removed her hand showing he'd regained control of himself. Sadayo hoped that control wasn't lost when she answered his question.

"I was…on the sidelines, being rather unhelpful." Sucking in a deep breath, she sat up straight and looked the parents of her beloved in the eye. They wanted the truth from the beginning to finish. "When Akira first came to Shujin…I honestly wanted nothing to do with him and was resentful of the fact that he'd basically been dropped into my lap." There were times when it was funny to look back on their first interactions. Now, it wasn't so funny, especially as she sat before the parents of her boyfriend…who looked rather displeased in learning how dismissive to perhaps even hostile she had been to their son. Sadayo was expecting that and accepted their reactions. "I told him to stay away from Ryuji due to his reputation as a delinquent; at the time I thought it was good advice since Akira was already walking on thin ice already and hanging around someone like him would cause trouble. That's what I believed. Ultimately though…trouble was always there; it'd always been there. One of our students, Shiho…attempted to commit suicide one morning."

"Akira…told us a little about the incident." Kunihiro stated, his voice belaying no anger toward her. There was only grief at having to discuss the entire affair, which he knew had shaped his son in ways that could never be undone. "She was a close friend of Ann Tamaki, a fellow Phantom Thief and friend of his, and student of yours I believe."

"Yes," She nodded, eyes downcast. "She was. Kamoshida had…he broke her, driving her to the point where she was ready to end her own life. She survived, thank God, but it was enough to get Ann to join Akira, Ryuji, and Morgana. Together, they infiltrated Kamoshida's Palace, stole his heart, and made him confess to his crimes."

"I take it that day was quite a shock?" Azumi broached with a raised eyebrow. She was searching for a reaction, some personal thoughts, especially having heard how negative a first impression Sadayo had of Akira. She wanted to know where along the way did that change.

"Like you wouldn't believe. Honestly, it…woke me up, in more ways than one. Akira and the others, they actually had to do it or else Kamoshida was going to have them expelled making it time-sensitive, just like all their major heists." Explained the brown-eyed woman. That was yet another little detail that Akira had informed her of, how all the Palaces they infiltrated had to be completed by a certain date. Said date was usually when their owners would take action against them…or the tragedy they were trying to prevent would come to pass. It was like some twisted game, which she later learned had been unsettlingly accurate. "To be frank with both of you…a part of me didn't care if Akira got expelled."

"Were you hoping for it?" Sniped the gymnast with those same cold eyes.

There was a temptation to say no, it whispered sweet words of assurance into her ear. The tone was same as when she told herself there was nothing she could do about Kamoshida or any of the other rotten things in her life. "Somewhere inside…yes, if only to take him off of my hands." Eyes front, she watched the hardness develop on the parent's faces. They were probably expecting the answer, but hearing it…well, Sadayo was sure she wasn't winning any favorability points. Bowing her head, she said, "From the bottom of my heart…I'm sorry. I'm sorry that as a teacher, I gave up on your son without even getting to know him or giving him a chance. It was…it was wrong of me, disgraceful of me."

A pin could have dropped and its ringing would have been like thunder in the vacuum that was Leblanc following the teacher's confession, and her apology. It was simple and direct, but the words were delivered with such heartfelt emotion in them that neither of the Kurusus could ignore it. They could tell that she had indeed spoke the truth when she said she was sorry and ashamed.

In the eyes of the two protective parents, that counted for something. It meant that this woman whom their son had given his heart to was honest on some level. Looking to one another, they ventured a guess that Akira knew this as well, and they'd found him holding the brunette in his lovingly arms. There was more to the story than just what they heard, after all, it was only the beginning.

"Ms. Kawakami," Azumi began causing the teacher to look up. "Please, continue."

Gathering herself, she sat upright and took a sip of her coffee. She was most certainly going to need it for this next part, which she was sure would be nothing short of jaw-dropping. It would also be where the advice of her goth doctor friend would come in handy_. "No matter what, you can't let that define, you're better than that, you were always better than that." _In a weird way, she could consider this practice for when she told her own parents of her…second job. "Akira and I saw one another through more than just school. You see, Mr. and Mrs. Kurusu, I…had a…second job, one that I'm not proud of." Her pause signaled the two parents to brace themselves. Sadayo couldn't tell how much time passed afterward, but she could feel the words leaving her mouth, being pushed out. "I worked as a maid for a…call girl service called Victoria."

Yep, there it was.

Kunihiro and Azumi Kurusu's eyes went wide, their mouths opening in slight shock. At the very least they weren't holding their cups…or had anything in their mouths.

Which apparently was something the Kurusu patriarch wanted to change as he looked down at his cup, confusion and borderline embarrassment covering his face. His wife, meanwhile, stared straight ahead at Sadayo with a deer-in-headlights expression.

"You…" She started, voice quiet and void of any emotion. "You were a prostitute?"

Immediately, Sadayo felt her heartbeat resound in her ears. It was an accusation that she'd been prepared for. Luckily for her, that preparation came in handy at the moment. "No, Mrs. Kurusu, I was not a prostitute…but if Akira hadn't intervened, I might have ended up becoming one."

Her explanation as well as her last statement caught the pair's attention. The architect's jaw opened and shut as he excused himself over to the fridge. A bottle of water would likely help him observe the rest of the story he was about to be told.

"My…official work title was a 'health delivery girl'. It wasn't prostitution, there was no sex or physical affection involved…instead I…cooked, cleaned, and…provided someone to talk to." Explained the language arts teacher, her heart still quickening in her ears. The more she talked about it the faster it seemed to beat.

Across from her, the blue-eyed gymnast whom Akira inherited his acrobatics sighed. "I think I get it. Basically, you were a call-girl, but the type who performed more mundane activities. I…don't believe such a thing is unheard of." A hand went to her chest and a sigh of relief escaped her lips. Though her son had spoken in the teacher's defense, she needed to hear it from the woman herself. Now that she had, some of her fears had been put to rest. That said, there were still others. "I'm…relieved to hear it wasn't as bad as I thought it was, but that now leads me to the question."

"A question that as parents we're scared to ask." Groaned the black-haired man at her side. "For you to have crossed paths with Akira in this occupation, it means that you two had to…did he…"

"No, it wasn't him, Mr. Kurusu." Sadayo gently answered. "It was some friends of his." There was something cute in watching the way the older man laid back in his seat and laid out a sigh of relief. While his wife did so as well, it was quieter as she reached over and panted her husband's shoulder. "They all got together to call a maid service, I was dispatched. Heh, when I got there…well, the other two fled leaving Akira behind. It was…pretty embarrassing, especially since I could see him blushing from seeing me dressed as a maid."

"So, one of my fears came to pass." Absent-mindedly spoke the male Kurusu with a dazed look on his face. "They left him behind…to take the fall…"

"Um, Mr. Kurusu?" Offered the teacher. "As soon as I discovered it was Akira, I…sorta of left, asking him to forget everything."

"I take it that didn't happen, did it?" Chirped the gymnast with slight interest in her eyes. Knowing her son, he wouldn't let such an incident such as that fly by…especially since knowing him, he would try to make use of it.

"No, it wasn't." Sadayo responded a tad wistfully. "He called me up again…up there." With her finger, she gestured to the ceiling. They got the hint immediately. "Yeah…from that point onward, I began to come to Leblanc a lot more often than I originally thought I would."

"Dare I ask why?" Kunihiro groaned having recovered a little. He had a feeling whatever he got was going to leave him wanting to call up his son and question him. He probably when they all returned to their hotel later on tonight.

"I actually asked Akira that same question when he called me to Leblanc." There was a smile on her face as she recalled the memory. It always brought a smile to her face; like the others, it was so far opposite of where she was now. All in all, it was proof their journey had indeed been a bizarre one, but one Sadayo wouldn't trade for the world. "He was…I thought he was a weird kid, calling me up after I specifically told him not to. He told me it was partial curiosity and partial because…he needed my help with certain…things."

"Which were?" Inquired both parents simultaneously.

She could see the thoughts flying through their minds. At the very least they weren't leaning in close, leering at her implying those 'things' were anything lewd. The answer they were going to get would likely still leave them more than a little flabbergasted. "For starters, he needed some extra time since being a Phantom Thief was a costly job. Since he knew my secret and I was rather…desperate to keep my second job hidden from others, especially the school, we struck up a deal with one another. I would let him slack off in class and he in turn would keep my secret, not telling anyone…and…calling me up more frequently. You see…I…while working at Victoria, I honestly didn't get that many job requests."

"What? Why?" Asked the goateed Kurusu point-blank before getting jabbed in the side by his wife.

Even with his visual realization, Sadayo felt the need to explain herself. "You see, I'm…not exactly what one pictures when they call up Victoria's services. I'm over thirty-years old when most customers would want a strapping young twenty-something, especially one who's able to divert most of their focus to the job of entertaining and servicing customers." Years of tension and anxiety were released in a heavy sigh. "I…"

"Couldn't put your heart into such services because it wasn't who you were." Clarified the gymnast, her azure-colored eyes She laced her fingers together as she looked to the fuzzy-haired brunette, eyes sympathetic yet still acute as they were before. "Even if sex wasn't involved, at least not on a…normal basis, I imagine customers wanted what basically amounted to a…." Azumi stopped herself, the sympathy and pity she felt for the teacher overwhelming her. She had a feeling that these same feelings had been born within her son and had led to quite a strange journey between them ending with a relationship. "Basically, you weren't exactly what most men wanted; thus, your pool of customers was rather small, I take it?"

"Y-Yes ma'am. I-I was quite desperate for money so I was rather grateful Akira told me he'd keep requesting me. Truth be told, some of the operators joked that I'd become his 'personal' maid given how many times he kept on asking for me and how I would always accept." It was impossible to keep the pink tint on her cheeks from forming before the parents of her beloved. Doubly so given in the midst of it all, she really had become his personal maid…along with his lover. Glancing up at the two, she could see it was just as awkward for them as it was for her. "H-He never forced me to do anything explicit." She quickly added.

"And what exactly did you do for him?" Questioned the senior Kurusu, curious and dreading the answer he'd get.

"Cooked for him, cleaned his room and occasionally Leblanc, gave him massages." She knew that last one would get a rise out of the parents. They were right as the pair's eyes widen and their cheeks flushed. An older woman dressed as a cutesy maid giving massages to their son in his shady attic-turned room? It was like something torn out of a love drama…which it had been further proving sometimes fiction isn't that far off. "T-T-They were platonic at first! A-A-And Akira needed a way to relieve the p-p-pent up stress! N-N-Not i-i-in a-a-any kind of sexual way! B-Being a Phantom Thief was hard work for him! I-I helped out where I could i-in making things easier for him, including helping him make his infiltration tools!"

Between the two, it was _Azumi _who spit out her coffee in shock. Quickly, her husband moved to help her, grabbing some napkins to wipe away the stain, as well as provide her with napkins to wipe her mouth. Sadayo honestly didn't know how to feel about the scene, though it was certainly interesting considering she'd been the composed one throughout the meeting.

Kunihiro Kurusu looked to her with naked shock. "Y-Y-You helped craft his infiltration tools? That was you and not Iwai-san?!" He asked with wide eyes.

"Yes, it-wait, you know Iwai-san?" Stammered the teacher, clearly shocked that her lover's father knew the owner of _Untouchable_.

"I just met him today when he and his son were here at Leblanc!" Kunihiro explained, looking mystified at it all. It was all quite a strange coincidence how things were turning out. "I know he's a former yakuza member and his store specializes in selling airsoft guns and models, that's why I thought he was the one who supplied Akira with all of his equipment."

"H-He did, a-a-at least mostly. When it came to weapons and armor." Explained former maid. "W-What I did was craft the lockpicks and smoke bombs and…" She swallowed a lump in her throat. "The other bombs that Akira and his team used. On top of that, I did do repair work for their clothes, including the armor they wore into the Metaverse."

Now the married couple were staring at her like she'd just revealed she was an arms dealer. This wasn't how she pictured things going!

"…Where in the hell did Akira get the supplies for all of this?" Azumi Kurusu finally said with a shake of her head. "I know this is a big city, but…but…ordering a maid service on a daily basis? Crafting tools and explosives?! It's unbelievable!"

A reversal had unfolded as it was now her husband comforting her instead of the other way around. He looked to her for some semblance of an answer. Yet again, Sadayo wasn't how much they'd be willing to accept the answer she'd give; she still struggled to wrap her mind around it

"The Metaverse." She spoke. The married couple looked between one another then back to her. "I know, I had a hard time believing it myself, but Akira told me himself, even showed me the app for it. It's…well, it's another world, one way just about anything could be possible. He brought back so many weird things from it besides money, albeit some of the stuff he did sell for money, and others he used in creating tools for the Phantom Thieves. I helped him with some since I…have some technical expertise. M-My dad…he's a car mechanic in my home town, Uonuma, even owning his shop. He taught me a thing or two growing up."

Like a light bulb, Kunihiro Kurusu's eyes lit up. This didn't go unnoticed by the two brunettes. His wife just barely managed to stifle a giggle while Sadayo felt a slight bit of relief. Distantly, she wondered how well her own father would get along with the patriarch of the Kurusu family. Something told her that the two men might just hit it off, as for their wives…Sadayo repressed a laugh at the slight similarities between Akira's mother and her own. They were both rather sharp, and rather protective of their children.

As he settled down, Kunihiro glanced over behind the counter; Sadayo had an idea of where he was looking. Her thoughts were confirmed with his next words. "Sojiro told me that when the stove oven broke down, you were there and fixed it."

"I did." Sadayo answered in a quiet voice as she raised her right hand. "I…burned myself in testing it out, kind of an act of frustration. The first thing Akira did was run to get a first aid kit and treat my hand. He wouldn't stop asking if I was alright for two days straight."

"He was worried about you." Azumi deduced to which the school teacher nodded. Her eyes softened even more. "I take it this wasn't the first time Akira showed what could be considered beyond 'acceptable concern'?"

"No, it wasn't." The answer was just barely above a whisper, but the two could hear it. They could tell from the softness in it that the story was about to take a more emotional shift. Patiently, they waited for the fuzzy-haired woman to begin the next part of her tale. "I wasn't a very good maid, personality wise. Between my work as a teacher and working a job I would rather quit along with several other part time jobs; I was a wreck. I was snappy and crude when Akira called me up, especially at first even though I…I admired him for standing up to Kamoshida. Looking back, I think that's when I first thought I could trust him not to do anything to me if I fell asleep on the job." A stiff laugh fell from her lips. "I fell asleep pretty often."

"You were overworking yourself." Kunihiro summarized; he knew the feeling all too well, and he imagined that when Akira saw such a thing happening to another person, he acted on his emotions. Just like him.

Sadayo nodded. "He was far more lenient to me than he had any right to be, especially after how I treated him at the start."

"But that began to change, that's what he told us." Azumi cut in. "Ms. Kawakami, if I may ask…why were you so desperate for money? Why were you willing to go so far?"

She reached up and clenched at her chest. "It was…for apology money." They were finally at this stage, the stage that helped form the crux of her story. "At first, I lied to Akira, and several of my clients claiming I had a younger sister whom I was supporting. It…worked in getting me some sympathy, thus some more jobs. Ultimately though, it was all a lie. The truth is…I…I was attempting to pay people off, the guardians of a former student that I…" She had to stop herself from saying _let die _because that wasn't what happened. The truth was the cause of death lay with the same guardians whom she had lived under the thumb of. "Before teaching at Shujin Academy, I taught at another school. It was the first one I'd taught at and I'd been teaching for little over four years so I was feeling quite comfortable and did a pretty good job. The principal of the school came to me and asked me if I could tutor a student, Taiki Takase, who'd been failing. I accepted and as I took to tutoring him, I realized his failing wasn't his fault. He was working multiple jobs as well leaving him little time for school. His guardians were…his parents had died and he was taken in by relatives."

"Abusive relatives." The voice was cold as ice, but it wasn't directed at Sadayo, which was a blessing in itself. Looking at her, Sadayo couldn't help but feel there was a story behind the blue eyes that could turn from warm to ice in a heartbeat. She now knew where Akira had gotten his more…protective predatory traits from. "These guardians," Azumi said. "They were abusive toward this Taiki, correct?"

"Emotionally abusive." Sadayo clarified, a shudder running through her. "They constantly dumped on him as revenge for what they thought was the elitism of his parents. He was…he was their punching bag, forcing him to pay for all the luxuries they wanted to enjoy in life." Rather than shame, anger now flowed through her. That had become the reaction whenever she thought of her former student and the torment he'd gone through, and she had gone through, all for reasons that made her stomach churn in disgust. Looking up at the two parents, she could see the feeling was mutual as they too looked disgusted at the source of abuse. "I tutored Taiki for a couple of weeks, helping him improve his grades and even himself. I was…I was so happy doing so, but…rumors began to spread that our relationship was…well, you know. Eventually, I was told to stop tutoring him."

"To protect the school's image?" Asked the architect in a somber tone.

"Yes, that was the reason, never mind the fact that as a teacher, our job is to help students. In the end, I ultimately caved in and did so. Taiki…I could tell he was so hurt by it, b-but he put on a brave face." Gone was the anger and in its place was the sadness, the image of a young brown-haired boy with shades under his eyes, yet he held a soft smile. Forcing back a sob, she moved onto the next part of her tale. "Just a short time after that he…he died in a traffic accident. He was on his way to another one of his part time jobs. I was…I was devastated. If he'd been back at school studying with me then he wouldn't have died. H-His guardians…t-t-they used that guilt to convince me that his death was my fault and to atone for it I had to…"

"Pay them." Kunihiro finished for her in a tight, sorrowful voice. "They guilt tripped you into filling in the financial hole he left behind." At her nod, his hands went to his face. "Yep, emotional abusers of the highest order." The story was disgusting to hear, he could only imagine how his son had reacted to it. He had an idea as he looked over to his wife.

She was brimming with maternal anger, the sort that came out when stories of family hit close to home. That anger was quelled by the growing tide of sympathy that she was beginning to feel for her son's boyfriend. Taking a deep breath, she reached out, beckoning to the teacher. Somewhat nervously, she returned the gesture, finding her hand clapped in Azumi's. Second by second, the anger, fear, and sorrow eased out of both women.

"You overworked yourself trying to pay them…believing that you had to atone for something that was out of your control." She started, softly rubbing her thumb across Sadayo's hand. "That's why you took that job, isn't it?" At her nod, the mother continued. "At some point, Akira found out about all of this, didn't he?" Another nod came. Azumi laughed, "I take it he never believed the sickly younger sister story, did he?"

"No, he told me he was skeptical about it from the start." Sadayo laughed as well. She remembered the embarrassment and even amusement she felt when he made his reveal. "I always thought your son was a weird kid, continuously calling up a maid service and requesting one of the least motivated ones there, me. In spite of all of that he…he kept on calling me…he treated me like I mattered. Sometimes he'd call me over just so I could lie down on his bed and take a nap. That's how we'd spend whole afternoons. I'd wake up underneath the covers sometimes, and even have a meal waiting for me. When I got hurt like that time with the stove, he was so gentle in treating me, and that was just one of many." She saw something hit the table. Withdrawing her hand, she wiped away the tears that slipped from her eyes. "He was too good for a person like me, a rotten teacher and subpar maid, that's…I thought I was all of those things and more."

"But you weren't." Came the gentle whisper of the Kurusu family matriarch. She'd had a faint idea of who this woman was, that she had some measure of inner strength in the way she stood up to them, to her. Now she could see that strength had been forged in fire, and nurtured by her son.

Her husband had come to a similar conclusion, and with that conclusion cam a swelling of pride. As the oldest of three boys, he knew how hard it was to be a role model. When his son was born he was terrified that he wouldn't be able to teach Akira what he needed to know to survive, and most importantly, how to be a good man. Sitting before this woman whom his son had uplifted, Kunihiro was able to say he was relieved, happy. His son had grown up into a fine man, and he could tell that even after his encounter with one of the worst men to ever enter Japanese politics. He feared that encounter would killed whatever willingness to help others Akira might have had. How wrong he was, and how happy he was at that fact.

Empowered by the sympathy shown to her, Sadayo continued. "I…honestly tried to push him away, believing that his kindness was being wasted on a person like me. I didn't deserve it, not to mention the more he helped me, the more he listened to me and I listened to him…the more I…felt myself…falling for him. Bit by bit, I saw him as more than just my master and my student…I…started to see him as a friend, someone I could lean on. That changed into something more…especially after I collapsed from overworking and ended up at the hospital." Humorful laugh echoed through the café. "Akira showed up a day later, he'd ran all the way from here to the hospital, bolting past the doctors and patients to get to me."

"Hah! That sounds like our boy!" Azumi exclaimed. She reached over and patted her husband on the shoulder. The Kurusu patriarch had a blushed look on his face that spoke volumes of his feelings on the matter. It seemed that the apple indeed didn't fall far from the tree. "Let me guess, he got an earful from the doctors?"

"Pretty much, followed next by me since him being there was the last thing I was expecting, or wanting. Not that I complained about it in the end." The humor in her voice vanished toward the end as her face grew dark. "Especially given…who showed up next."

Yet again, the parents looked to one another.

"The Takases?" Kunihiro offered. The response was a grim nod causing him to sigh. The entire situation was the sort that he hated as it came down to personal action and resolve. From what he understood, his son's girlfriend's had been thoroughly beaten down by the emotional abuse of the pair. That was the power that abusers held over their victims, to break it sometimes took a miracle. It seemed that while in Tokyo, his son had learned how to perform those. "I'm going to guess that bit by bit, you'd been skipping out on your 'payments', and they weren't happy about it?"

"Not in the slightest." Groaned the teacher. "They showed up just a couple of minutes after Akira and gave me the usual spill…which Akira was front row center for." A glance at the two told Sadayo they already had an idea of how their son reacted. Sadayo wondered if they were aware of just how fearsome Akira could be. "Looking back," she started, fingers curling against the table. "It…that was the scariest I'd ever seen Akira. He…he didn't look like a teenager, he looked almost demonic, hell, I could have sworn he had one of those freaky black auras like in anime and video games. The way he looked at the Takases…it was like-"

"He could throw them out the window or beat them to bloody plumps and not feel an ounce of guilt about it?" The statement was spoken with such casual acceptance that Sadayo did a double take. She did another when she saw the Kurusu family matriarch casually sip up the rest of her tea. Azumi looked up at her with some bit of amusement written all over her face. There was some on her husband's as well. "It's quite simple, by that point, Akira had come to deeply care about you, and seeing you threaten in such a way was enough to bring out his more protective side. After all…if someone you cared about were threaten, wouldn't that you be able to dig deep and find your inner strength? And maybe just a little capacity for violence?"

Sadayo sat there, stunned and rather awed of the woman in front of her. In spite of her somewhat small stature, she was a rather fearsome and perspective woman, on top of that, she was rather quick-witted. The more they talked, the more she could see where Akira gained some of his more admirable and even eye-catching traits from. She could now understand why he'd called her a fearsome woman, and someone whom you didn't want to cross. Sadayo had to admit, she found such traits rather…admirable. Oh, and somewhat reminisce of her own mother. A chill ran down her spine at that meeting; her father and Akira's she felt would hit it off, their mothers…well, that was a thought for another time.

Refocusing her thoughts, she came back to the present where she found it in herself to answer the hypothetical question posed by her lover's mother. "Yes, ma'am, I would. In fact I…as I got to know Akira, I became somewhat…protective of him, especially at school. Even after he stood up to Kamoshida and helped get him exposed, the students still talked about him behind his back."

"Naturally," Azumi sighed. "Once his record was leaked, I imagine that some students just latched onto that perception of him as a violent criminal and simply held onto it."

"And knowing Akira, he was more willing to let them think whatever they wanted since he didn't care." Kunihiro added.

"When he started performing well academically, it threw some of them for a loop." Sadayo offered with a slight smile. "Believe it or not, some managed to actually work up the nerve to talk to him and get to know him personally, so he wasn't totally ostracized, especially once he became friends with the rest of the Phantom Thieves."

"Speaking of them, did you…know of their identities?" Asked the architect. "I mean, while you certainly worked alongside Akira, I'm wondering just how deeply involved you were with the whole operation. With all due respect, Ms. Kawakami, your actions pretty much made you an accessory."

"To be honest, I had my suspicions, but…I really didn't know until Akira told me, and that was after he and I had…ahem, I think it's best I get back on track as to what happened after the hospital showdown. Or rather, what happened after Akira made it clear he wasn't going to stand for me being bullied. The Takases…well, they made it clear they wanted their payment or else they'd talk to the school. That's when I saw Akira, his eyes…I knew that if he could, he would have thrown them out the window, and if not that, grabbed Toshio and beat him to within an inch of his life. It was…to be entirely honest, as wrong as it may sound, it felt…good seeing him being so protective of me. It was the first time in years I'd seen anyone be so…defensive over me."

Small smiles grew along the faces of the parents, albeit they were accompanied by blushes. Surely they saw where things were going from there. It fell to Kunihiro to vocalize those thoughts. He did so after a momentary cough. "Is it right to believe that's when you…started to…ahem, fall for Akira?"

"…More so than I already might have been." Nervously admitted the former maid, her gaze directed down to the table, mostly in an attempt to hide the growing blush on her face. Time healed all wounds, and it changed perspective; the latter had certainly been the case as whenever Sadayo looked back on the hospital incident, all she could think of was Akira. How he had literally rushed all the way down to Aoyama Hospital and stood up to the Takases for her, going as far as to tell her not to pay them while giving them a glare that could have incinerated them to cinders. He held her as she broke down in tears when the Takases left, whispering sweet words into her as the shaky ground she'd been walking on finally gave out on her. She would have fallen into the abyss had Akira not caught her, held her and lifted her back up into the light. Of course, she didn't truly know that at the time; all she knew was that for everything that had come crumbling down on her, Akira remained there. He'd practically wormed his way into her life, and once he was there, he resolved himself to making it better.

"Ms. Kawakami," Came Azumi's soft voice. "Please, what happened after the hospital incident? I can't imagine Akira being accepting of you continuing to pay these people, especially seeing that it was literally costing you your health."

"Heh, you don't know the half of it. Akira was so concerned that even he set up more meetings with a…friend of his, Doctor Takemi. We'd met before when Akira…arranged for us to meet up together."

"So she could check on you." Azumi inferred, a small smile tugging at her lips, same as her husband. Matter of fact, the smile might have been bigger on his face than on hers.

"After I was discharged, I was…pretty shook up by what had happened. I was going to quite working as a maid…and…my job as a teacher." Admitted the fuzzy-haired brunette with a downtrodden look. "I was just so beaten down and the thought of having to pay the Takases more money…I just…I was ready to throw in the towel. That's why I told Akira to stop calling me…"

"He didn't do it, did he?" Came the gymnast in yet another quiet tone.

"I questioned him why he was willing to go so far for me…and again he told me that I was worth it. That in spite of what I thought of myself, I was a good teacher, a good maid, and…a good person. He told me that I didn't owe the Takases anything and if anything, I should focus on teaching as Taiki would have wanted me to." A pregnant pause fell over her as she debated rather or not to add onto that statement. Ultimately, she decided to do so. "Coming over to Leblanc and telling him to basically break off contact with him…it was harder than I thought it would be. The truth was…I began to realize that I wanted to keep seeing Akira, keep on talking to him. Heh, he refused to accept my 'resignation' and encouraged me to keep on teaching. It was responses like that which made me…made me…"

"Made you…fall for him." Azumi proposed before correcting herself. "Or…start falling harder for him?"

Flames colored the teacher's cheeks as she once more found its way to her chest, right over her heart. "Akira told me, 'Mistakes can be fixed if you're willing to try, and I know you are.'. When he said those words I…I just couldn't help but be amazed at him. Here was this young teenager giving me words of wisdom that in retrospect, I probably should have told myself. Maybe I had, but I didn't believe them. When Akira said them to me…I could believe them, and a part of me…wanted to work to make his words true. I realized that rather he was right or wrong depended on me. I could work to regain my pride as a teacher, I could be the kind of teacher that I wanted to be." She laughed as she thought of the way his face lit up as she affirmed her resolve to pick herself up. He told her that he'd wanted to hug her then. Sadayo had wanted to hug him back…and maybe something a little more. "With all that, I declared that as his teacher…I would…protect him, and Akira…told me that he'd protect me too."

A resounding howl of laughter came from the blue-eyed woman. She reached over and slapped her blushing husband on the shoulder, said husband was once again looking down in proud embarrassment.

"Um…I…take it this is a family trait instead of Akira just being Akira?" Sadayo nervously asked.

"Oh, it's actually a bit of both." Nervously answered the senior Kurusu. "Making a declaration of protection to someone, especially a woman…that's…my boy."

"He definitely protected me, from start to finish." Sadayo said in a wistful tone. "Especially when the Takases came back again. It was a few days later when I called him to the Student Guidance Office to tell him I was quitting my part-time job. Then they showed up and threatening to expose me again. I…I'm ashamed to say that…I folded. Against the thought of being labeled a sex worker, and not just to the school but the entire school board…I folded."

And like lightning, their expressions fell.

Kunihiro put a face to his head, a thick sigh leaving his lips. "Typical. That was their trump card, and they played it."

"Pretty much." Sadayo affirmed with an absolutely gloomy expression.

"They were threatened." The architect mused. "Still, what you were doing was…" He stopped himself as the picture played out before him. Beside him, his wife looked down, shame coloring her cheeks. People could be fickle and judgmental; they knew that better than most would have, or would have wanted to. It was only because of personal circumstance that they were willing and able to sit down and listen. They were personal, taking matters up to the school board which would take an extremely impersonal stance toward everything and go for the swiftest most direct solution to the problem, not to mention the students who'd no doubt be less than merciful. His hands clawed at the table. "I'm…seeing where Akira was coming from."

"If I thought he looked scary at the hospital, then when they made that threat in the guidance he looked positively demonic. I'd never seen him that _angry _before. I actually had to grab him and hold him back from physically attacking Toshio and Hiromi. I couldn't let him piss away everything he'd earned for me."

"But ultimately, he was still ready to defend you, even with violence." Pressed the fellow brunette. It was easy for her to picture her son's anger and his near physical response to the threat of these two so-called "guardians". It was also soberingly easy for her to picture the teacher folding under the threat, especially made in her own workplace. Abuse, especially of the emotional kind, was never so easy to escape from. "What happened after that? I'm assuming that things worked out in the end, but…"

"With all due respect ma'am…Akira happened." Sighing, she leaned back in her seat, looking up the light above her. It was so easy to recall the tears that had exploded from her eyes as she'd descended into hysterics. Akira had her held in his arms in a heartbeat. It didn't matter if they were teacher and student and at school, they were just two people, one at their emotional breaking point…and the other no longer able to sit by.

"_Please…God, please, I just want this to end! I just want it to stop!" _She sobbed into his chest. _"Someone…anyone…help me." _

"_Their names." _The voice was quiet as the wind itself, but contained all the force of a tidal wave. She'd looked up through teary eyes into a pair of stormy-gray orbs that held her by the soul. _"Ms. Kawakami…Sadayo, please, I need you to tell me their names. I-The Phantom Thieves…I can get in contact with them. Please, just…just let me do this." _

"_Akira-"_

"_I won't let you keep living like this! You deserve better! You deserve to be free!" _It was amazing his shouting hadn't attracted attention from the outside. As she stared up into his eyes, Sadayo felt like she and Akira were the only ones who existed, they were in their own little world. The wall-mounted clock ticked by the seconds, in each one…Sadayo felt a little bit safer in the arms of her student. She didn't want to leave his embrace, she wanted to believe in his words.

"In order to pay the Takases the upped amount…I…considered transferring to Victoria's sister company." She finally vocalized.

"Sister company?" Repeated the mother. "You mean…" Her eyes widen in visible distress as the pieces came together. "T-They…they…"

"It was my choice…the only one I thought I had." Answered the younger woman with a shiver as she wrapped her arms around herself. None of the memories were fond, but that one was amongst the worst for a number of reasons. "I was so broken down with their threat I…I…I didn't think it would end. I was ready to give up…but…I ended up giving Akira their names not thinking anything of it. I laughed off the prospect of the Phantom Thieves helping a person like me; hell, I thought I was the kind of person they'd target for a change of heart."

"A change of heart did happen…but it wasn't yours, which was dented, but still pure." Whispered a male voice that made Sadayo look up. While she could see some of the devilish resemblance to her love in Azumi, in Kunihiro, Sadayo saw the softer traits of her beloved. The professional ones.

"Y-Yes, Kunihiro-san. About two days later, the Takases were at my door, tripping over themselves as they apologized for everything, and I mean _everything_. They even had the money that I'd been sending them, given back to me along with more apologies than I could count. I spent the rest of the night in a daze at the fact that I was free…and that…I now had _a lot _of extra money."

Kunihiro and Azumi glanced at one another, no doubt speculating exactly how much money the brunette had worked up over the years from working various part-time jobs. While they were at ease knowing she'd done nothing explicit or illegal, well, actually nothing criminal, they were still curious. They were even more curious as to where this story would end; they had a gut feeling that they were approaching the "confessional" part of the story, the part they'd secretly been waiting for. Internally, they both couldn't help but feeling silly, yet they couldn't resist. The more they listened, the more they realized their son's first real relationship hadn't just been abnormal, it'd been torn straight from the realm of romantic fiction!

Which just made it all the more enticing to hear in spite of their own parental instincts.

Sensing their anticipation, Sadayo continued. It was somewhat of a relief that she was finished with the parts of the story involving her torment, they were now at the part where she realized that she'd fallen for her sixteen-year-old student…and that he was one of the Phantom Thieves of Heart. Talk about a double whammy. "I…took a day afterward to collect myself before calling up Akira and telling him the good news at Leblanc. He…he didn't look surprised, sure, he was happy, but he wasn't surprised. In hindsight, I know why. As we talked…I…told him I could quite my job as his maid…which meant we…wouldn't be able to see each other on a more…personal basis." The parents were leaning in, hanging on her every word as they knew this was the part where their son confessed his feelings for his teacher. "H-H-He…I-I-I…w-w-w-we…I-I told him I was worried about leaving him! I-I mean h-his room could get pretty dusty and cluttered, a-and his eating habits! I-I mean I wanted to make sure he kept on eating healthy! A-A-And I was worried about him getting lonely without me t-t-then he told me he wanted to keep on seeing me!"

The faces of both parents ignited and her eyes widened.

"H-H-He t-t-t-told m-m-me t-t-that h-h-he meant it i-in that way. H-H-He t-t-t-told me s-s-so after w-w-we started dating!" it took a few deep breaths to compose herself, but even then, her face was blushing bright red as she recounted that confession in the attic. It was still nothing compared to what was coming next. The faces of the Kurusus remained beat-red as they digested the words she'd just spoken. "A-A-At the time, I-Id didn't realize that. B-B-But…a-a-after I told him how he could give someone the wrong idea with what he said he…he…"

"He what?" Azumi pressed, her heart racing at the possibilities of what her son had said to wow this older and battered woman whom he'd for all intents and purposes rescued.

"H-He reaffirmed w-w-what he said…a-a-and then I told him t-t-that I was a teacher…and h-he…was my student."

"What did Akira say after that?" Kunihiro questioned, just as interested in his wife.

"H-He…told me that he was a man…and I was a woman…and that there was nothing wrong with a relationship between the two of us." She left out the fact that Akira had rose to his feet, bringing his full five-foot-eleven height to bear, how he towered over her with his absolutely _masculine _aura and seductive eyes.

The senior Kurusus sat in their seats, edged forward, faces blushing as they silently took in the response that their son had given. Much like Sadayo, steam was practically pouring out of their ears. Stormy gray eyes and azure blue eyes met one another as a quiet debate ensued. Sadayo placed her bets on who Akira had gotten his…charms from; it didn't look like a debate either parent wanted to lose, albeit they weren't quite sure they wanted to win either.

Kunihiro coughed as he withdrew followed next by his wife. Her cheeks were still colored like tomatoes as she faced Sadayo. "A-A-And…w-w-what of you? D-D-Did you think of our son as a man?"

It was a question she probably should have seen coming, but Sadayo sat in her seat dumbfounded for a few seconds. "Y-Ye…yes, I-I…I did." There was a twinkle of relief in their eyes, no doubt because they were worrying she'd give the opposite answer, which would impede the relationship.

Azumi spoke again. "And…you…accepted his…confession?"

Sadayo glanced at the stairwell, the same one she'd walked up so many times. She could practically see herself fumbling down it, tripping over her feet then going out the backdoor. Followed next by her coming through it in her regular clothes and heading on up. "Not…immediately. I was rather…shocked, blown away by the fact that he, my student and master had just…confessed to me. I-I told him t-t-that I needed s-s-some time to think on things…and then I pretty much fumbled down the stairs and on my way back home."

The architect's back hit the cushions on his seat. "That…sounds like Akira, no warning or anything…just…dropping in from the sky."

"It's not like you're one to talk." Nudged his wife. She quickly realigned her focus on Sadayo. "N-Now I-I-I'm assuming that you…needed some time to…process all of this. S-S-Speaking of which, um, did you…start to piece together Akira's…true identity around this time?"

"O-O-Once I got home and had a couple of minutes of breaking down over the fact that my student a-a-and master j-just confessed to me." In retrospect, calling Akira her "master" probably wasn't a good idea, but it had slipped out. She should probably work on the habit since the Kurusus looked rightfully disturbed in hearing their son called master by an older woman…whom they now know worked as his personal maid. She was sure they were going to need some…well, Sadayo was no stranger to needing a drink. "I needed a drink when I got home."

"Not that we can blame you." Kunihiro said in a rather lax voice. "Let me guess, it came to you as you were drinking."

"Pretty much. I…I was clearing my head when all the pieces came together. How he was able to afford me on top of everything else he was involved with, including a semi-legitimate fortune-telling business-"

"Which he still has to explain to us." The black-haired man mused.

"And the fact that he hung around people who were all involved with the Phantom Thieves targets, such as Madarame's pupil and around the time of Kaneshiro's arrest, the student council president…and I…noticed how close they all seemed, like they had a shared experience. T-The final piece of the puzzle was the Takases…their sudden drastic change in attitude…there was only one explanation, and there was only one way they could have been targeted because I didn't add them to the list of targets on the Phan-site." She took a breath as she listed all the pieces that had ultimately come together as a whole. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Sadayo suspected that she'd always known; she could have figured it out if she'd sat down and truly focused her mind on it. As it so happened, she had other things on her mind so she didn't think too hard on it, at least not enough to ever seriously consider the possibility.

"Were you frightened?"

"Huh?"

"Of Akira being a Phantom Thief." In spite of having just heard how her son had came onto his teacher, Azumi's characteristic sharpness had returned. Yet again, she could see the resemblance to her son. "When you discovered Akira was a Phantom Thief…were you…scared of him? In the eyes of the world, he was a criminal, and if you became involved with him…you knew the consequences that you were taking, right? He said that he was the one who came onto you, and you just confirmed that…but I, we, want to know why. Why did you-"

"Because I loved him, because I still love him." Immediately answered the fuzzy-haired woman.

"Because he saved you?"

"Yes, but…because…he…he was a whole lot better than I thought he was." Facing both parents, she spoke with absolute clarity knowing this where it would likely be decided if they would give their blessings to the relationship. Pass or fail, Sadayo was going to push onward, just as Akira had taught her. "As I've told both of you…I…didn't have the highest opinion of Akira when I met him, especially after he caught me at my…second job. That changed…all of that changed as I got to know him. I discovered he was more than just some delinquent kid. At first, I was on guard around him…but after the second call…I…I never once felt scared of him, scared _for _him, but never of him. Not even when the Takases came to harass me…those were the times when I…he really did save me, but I also got to know who he was, who Akira Kurusu was. He was a strange and cocky kid, but smart, quick-witted, brave, and…probably one of the most noble people that I'd ever met. He'd go so far for anyone who needed help…even if they didn't think they were deserving of it. In any way I could…I wanted to help him any way I could. There were times when I wanted to wrap my arms around Akira, gradually that desire went from being as his teacher to his friend to his…his…to something I thought I could never be, something I didn't deserve to be. I knew the feelings I had were wrong on so many levels…which is why two days later, when we met back up ins his attic after I called him…I tried to tell him that we couldn't be together."

There was a long-almost approving sigh from the head of the Kurusu household. His gray eyes twinkled in the same way Akira's did, his smile was just as warm. "He refused to accept that, didn't he?"

Yet again, Sadayo had a gut feeling that her reluctance to the relationship hadn't been anything new to the Kurusu family.

"I was…happy to learn that he felt the same way for me, I told him then when I came up to his room. It at least saved me the embarrassment and awkwardness of having my romantic feelings for my student being one-sided." She laughed. "That…meant that we both felt the same way about each other…but…I told him that I was a teacher and he was a student, again. I told him that if we got caught…him getting suspended would only be the start."

"As would your firing." Azumi declared. "Our son was sixteen-years-old…a minor, not to mention as a Shujin teacher, you had the phantom of Kamoshida hanging over your heads." Her fingers came together, and tightened. "Not to mention…of you really cared about our son…you should have known what position you were putting _him_ into."

Sadayo bowed her head for a second, then looked up. Her brown eyes stared straight ahead into Azumi's azure blue, striking as polished gemstones, yet sharp enough to cut at a moment's notice. "I was aware, Azumi-san, I was fully aware which is why I tried to end things before they could even begin…but…I couldn't. I told Akira about the risks, but he…he just kept on looking at me with those eyes, those determined eyes that I could never look away from. He told me we wouldn't get caught…I knew he was willing to try to get our relationship to work, seeing that…I…realized I wanted to do the same. I _wanted _a relationship with him, I wanted to be at his side, to love him and be loved by him, to be there for him in the good and bad times, no matter how much of a struggle it might have been. That's why I…said yes, that's why I sat down beside him, and told him how I knew he was a Phantom Thief of Heart." Breaking the seriousness was a smile and a laugh. "He was pretty shocked, scared even. It was probably the first time I'd seen him as such."

"The women in a man's life can often do that." Chuckled the father of the knife-using Wild Card. He was joined by his wife, and Sadayo himself. "How'd he react when you spilled the beans?"

"I could tell he was trying to keep it together, but I could see how nervous he was. He told me that I'd succeeded where as practically all of the Tokyo Metropolitan police had failed. He also told me that Mona wasn't too happy with him when he told him that I'd figured it out."

"From what we understand, Akira wasn't exactly subtle in helping people." Mumbled the architect. "If your story's anything to go by, he had to intervene as 'Joker' at several points to help some of these people thus giving them ample opportunity to deduce his identity. Honestly, it's a miracle no one sold him out."

"Because Akira's the kind of guy you'd never turn your back on because he'd never turn his back on you." Affirmed school teacher with fire in her eyes. "Your son…I know that you love him and always will, but while he was here in Tokyo…he built up not just a network of people…he…he built up a family. One that was always there for him when he needed them, no matter what, no matter we did what we could."

"…And it was enough…you all pulled in all of your chips to get him out of juvey, including you, Ms. Kawakami." The mother assured.

Sadayo nodded. _Oh, that may have been the tangible one, but the biggest was probably us helping him apparently blow a hole in a __**god's **__head. I think it's best they…don't learn that part for a few months. _

"So, after you two…got together, you did keep your relationship a secret, right?"

"Yes, Kunihiro-san, we did, we made extra sure to be careful. I…laid down some ground rules, like no flirting or anything of the sort while we were at school." That rule had been broken…several times. She could only hope that the Kurusus believed that rule had been upheld…mostly. "We went on a few dates around town, getting to know each other some more…and occasionally dodging his friends and my coworkers." A playful smile grew on the teacher's face. "That was actually kind of fun, his daredevil personality ended up rubbing off on me more than I'd like to admit. Including when we went to…"

"Hawaii?" Azumi asked, her face back to being consumed by a blush. Giving her husband a brief sideways look, she asked, "Did he…show you a good time? Akira told us the trip ended up being a little bit of a bust."

"That's because we didn't really plan anything out." Gloomily replied the language arts teacher. "While we were able to secure a ride to the United States and back, we the faculty really didn't think too far ahead in what to do when we actually got there. We mostly just left students to their own devices, which…sorta worked out. Sure, you had some troublemakers, some of whom I had to discipline, but nothing too hectic. To be fair though, we were still recovering from Kamoshida…as well as several other little problems such as getting the sports teams reformed and making sure none of the coaches or advisers could become as bad as him. Still…Akira and I…we were able to spend some time together. We at least got to catch a beautiful sunset."

Kunihiro tensed up, a smile of fatherly pride on his face; though somewhat lax, Azumi had a similar expression on her face. Sadly, their expressions didn't hold as they knew of what came next. The assassination of Kunikazu Okumura and the framing of the Phantom Thieves for it. That had begun a dark period when phantom thieving had gone from merely being a venture of excitement to a life-or-death struggle for their son and his teenage friends.

"Were you there for Akira?" Questioned the father knowing Sadayo had arrived at the same conclusion as them. "When everything started to come down on him and the others, when Shido started targeting them?"

"I was." The months of October to November had been nothing short of a roll coaster the likes of which none of them had seen coming. It began with Kobayakawa's sudden death…which turned out to be not so sudden and his crimes running deeper than any of them could have known. Sadayo was sad, but nowhere _near _as mournful as she felt she should have been; at least she wasn't alone as her fellow teachers and students alike had felt little in the bald-headed man's death. Given how he'd let Kamoshida run rampant, there were some who openly celebrated his demise. Sadayo knew that as a teacher, she should have reprimanded the students, but she just didn't have it in her to even _attempt _to fake it. "Those were some…dark months…especially when Akira had to fake his death and go underground."

Expectedly, the parents looked sadden hearing such news. Learning that Akira had been falsely accused by a drunken asshole was one thing, but learning that the same asshole had now framed him for murder and was on his way to becoming prime minister of Japan made them wonder if the world had some sort of bone to pick with them. And then there was the fact that said asshole had worked hard to put himself in the running for worst father of the year, something that particularly stung at Kunihiro, who got up and went for another bottle of water.

Once he returned and refreshed himself and Azumi, the latter looked to her with focused yet embarrassed eyes.

"When…Akira had to do that…did he…did he…and you…"

"Yes, ma'am, he…stayed…with me." The answer might as well have been a squeak delivered from a mouse, but the Kurusus heard it well. Fittingly, they blushed bright red, just like Sadayo was. "A-And…yes…we did…sleep…together. Figuratively…and…literally." There was a beat as the faces of the parents somehow got even redder. "We'd already had sex before then. With protection, we always made sure to use protection." There was a visible sigh of relief, one accompanied by the two sliding back into their seats. Sex in a relationship was natural, but with it one was fully expected to be smart about it. Sadayo certainly knew that when she and Akira began dating; it helped that she'd been taking birth control just in case…well, she knew how awful her luck was before Akira came into her life. Speaking of which, she felt it for the best she stop there in regards to their sex life. The Kurusus _certainly _didn't need to know that during his stay with her at her apartment she'd invited their son into the shower with her. _Which ended up leading to some of the best damn lovemaking of our lives! _Cheered a Chibi-version of her bringing the memory up, only to get tackled by her educator side. That night would _forever _stay between her and Akira…as would all the other times when they'd made love to one another.

Based on the looks on the Kurusus faces, things were better off that way.

"Alright, leaving that aspect aside…you roomed with our son for about a month…and you two were…able to live together? Was Akira keeping up on his studies even though he was out of school?" There was a motherly tone in Azumi's voice that made Sadayo a little happy to hear.

She wasn't blind to the underlying meaning of her questions either. They caused her heart to flutter a tick faster. "We…were able to live together; it wasn't something either of us were expecting, and we did snap at each other from time to time, but never anything serious. Often, we ended up laughing and smiling…and…talking about things, his life as a Phantom Thief, more of his home life, his friends…his family," Her eyes swerved to the two. "He wanted to protect you two almost more than anyone. He was scared that this would end with the punishment coming down on you two, it terrified him." Their eyes widen, yet again, as Sadayo expected. She imagined they were hearing all of this for the first time. "Mr. and Mrs. Kurusu, Akira…he shouldered so many things on his back, too many things. I'll admit…I…I don't think I was able to help him as much as I wanted to, but I did my best, being there for him, giving him a shoulder to cry on, telling him that his best was enough and that was all anyone had a right to ask of him. I told him that his best…it'd already been enough to help so many people, including me. Maybe it wasn't the best advice I could have given, but-"

"It was what he needed to hear…to be reminded that he wasn't powerless…and for that reminder to come from someone whom he trusted…and loved." Kunihiro assured her, all while wrapping his arm around his wife, whose expression was one of a woman at peace. "When times got tough, you stuck with him…that's…what matters, and that's what we're happy to hear." He returned her smile; it was clear that bit by bit, she'd grown more comfortable with their presence. Kunihiro could say that the feeling was mutual, for both him and his wife. "Sojiro…told me that he…found out about you two on Valentine's Day, when you…walked through the door." He gestured to that same door, no doubt trying to picture it and his old friend's reaction to the scene.

"Y-Yeah…it was our first…date together since he got out." Like a school girl, she twiddled her fingers in front of them, a hot red blush on her face. "I, um, take Sojiro-san also told you that…he…left the shop to me and Akira?" There was a slow nod from Kunihiro, followed next by a wide-eyed expression from Azumi. Both of their faces blushed beat-red. "Again, we used protection." There wasn't a need to beat around the bush in what they'd done with the alone time, was there? At the very least she'd told them that they had no need to worry about either of them taking any chances. "Okay, so…now that…you know all of that…um, what happens now?"

Recovering her wits, Azumi Kurusu looked her square in the eye. Steadily, over the course of the sit down, the younger woman had become stronger, more resolute in the face of the gymnast's piercing stare. It was enough to make Azumi silently commend her. "Now we have to ask you this, where do you want your relationship with Akira to go? We don't need to tell you that you've taken a massive gamble, one that has…miraculously paid off in that no one has found out about it save for Sojiro-san, whom I fully trust to keep this a secret. He _is _the only other one to know, correct?" There was a nod from the teacher causing Azumi and Kunihiro to sigh in relief.

Sadayo used that opportunity to steel herself as she gave her answer. "I want to keep seeing Akira…for as long as humanly possible."

"You two have been in contact with each other ever since he left Tokyo, haven't you?" Based on the look she gave, Kunihiro knew she knew that he knew about their little phone calls and texts. He was remarkably accepting of it, no doubt because he'd already deduced that his son had been seeing someone and wasn't quite so put off by who that someone turned out to be. "I see, well…I'm…at least happy to hear that you two committed."

"But you both know the consequences of this, don't you? Of this continued relationship? Everyday that you're together, you risk exposure, at least until Akira turns eighteen." Azumi bounced off. "And even then, once he turns of legal age…what will happen next?"

"Mrs. Kurusu…I will continue to date him should we still be together, which I'm hoping to be the case, and I'm willing to work toward." The high school teacher declared, looking between the two. "I entered a relationship with Akira not because of some kink, but because I loved him for who was, and who he is. He is someone I can depend on, someone that I want to depend on me, someone whom I can laugh and smile and cry with, someone who I can trust, someone who I want to support to the best of my ability, and someone whose side I want to stay at. For how long…well, for as long as I'm able to, and…if that leads us to…well, marriage…then one day…I'd be happy to call myself his wife and bear the Kurusu name. With your blessings of course."

The speech left the parents in silence, somewhat stunned silence as they looked to her as if seeing her for the first time. Then their eyes narrowed.

"And…if we were to _not _give our blessings?" Began the Kurusu matriarch, eyes sharp as blades and traded on Sadayo like a wildcat before its prey.

But the brunette teacher was not prey. She sat in her seat, strong and focus as she gave her answer, each word hard as steel. "Then I would continue to see Akira, in secret because I love him. I will love him and support him as his girlfriend no matter what stands in our way, even if…that is you two and my own parents. Your son is the man that I love, and I will stick by his side come what may." The possibility had always been in her mind, and Sadayo had thought long and hard about what her response would be. She'd never thought of herself as a rebellious person, but her boyfriend was a rebel in the best way possible; he'd robbed on her, showing her that if one loved something then they had to fight for it. Sadayo had once believed that but lost sight of such feelings until Akira reminded her of them. In doing so, she'd came to love him, thus she would fight for him and their relationship. There were no guarantees, but Sadayo was fine with that, she'd reach out and take hold of Akira's hands and give them squeeze; they'd take one step forward together and see where the road took them.

Heavy silence hung in the air between the teacher and the two parents, neither breaking their gaze from one another. The soft hum of the clock and gentle patter of the outside world rolled in their ears, as well as the echo of their respective hearts.

"Ms. Kawakami," the gymnast spoke in a quiet tone. "May I please have a refill?" Her husband raised his cup as well signaling he took would have liked a refill.

Giving a courteous nod, Sadayo fulfilled their request. With it came a slight measure of peace.

_Well, I said the words, but seriously, if they reject me? How will Akira react? Oh man, I don't want him to have to choose between his parents and me! _She furiously thought behind a calm face as she approached the table with the freshly brewed drinks.

"You have our blessings to continue dating Akira."

It was a good thing that she was close to sitting the tray down, otherwise Sadayo was sure she would have dropped it and spilled the drinks all over the floor, and shattered the cups too. That would have been embarrassing…but nowhere near as embarrassing as raising her fists up and shouting in triumphant joy. Which she _seriously _wanted to do once she realized that she'd heard right.

She could do that once she got home and could scream as loud as she wanted to, hopefully without waking up her neighbors.

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**I'll admit, this chapter went on longer than I wanted it to. Originally, it was supposed to include some interludes of Akira and what he was doing with the rest of his friends, but as I wrote out the talk between the Kurusus and Sadayo, I felt that would break the immersion, especially if I jumped back and forth between the two sides. Akira's side of things will be explored next chapter, which will be better since it'll give me more of a chance to showcase how everyone else has been doing, including a certain role model of his who's making his comeback. **

**One reason why this chapter turned out longer than expected is because I wanted to show Sadayo's feelings on the journey her Confidant chain was and how she's come to view it now, almost a year later and in a successful relationship. It's kind of like looking back on your life after a period of instability and chaos after reaching a period of stability, a feeling that I've had. The look back can be strange and some parts can make you laugh and smile, while others can just be outright depressing and you wonder how you made it through; in Sadayo's case, Akira was the answer. Speaking of which, it tied into a little with this chapter, which I changed a few times. **

**By the end of her Confidant chain, I felt like Sadayo's come to see Akira as more of a man than just a boy or some high school kid with strange tastes. As she's gotten to know him, she's gotten to know a man that is sharp, compassionate, understanding, and most of all devoted to making the lives of the people around him better. Likewise, Akira's come to view her as more than just a teacher or a maid, but as a capable but broken woman he wants to do everything in his power to help. Ultimately, all the labels are stripped away leaving each other as a man and a woman who've fallen for one another. Also, fighting for the things and people you love, which they both do for one another at certain points, which accumulated in Sadayo's resolution to keep seeing Akira even without his parents' blessings. It's a very realistic possibility as Kunihiro and Azumi are protective of Akira after all that's happened, and a relationship with his teacher would really set him back at best (again) or destroy him. Sadayo knew that and as does Akira, but the real choice, the real courage, I'd say, is acknowledging that things could go wrong and choosing to press forward anyone. Nothing is promised in life, so all we can do is take a step forward with the people we love and face what comes our way. **

**On a more light-hearted note, it was fun writing Sadayo recanting how she fell for Akira…to his own parents. Awkwardness and embarrassment went hand-in-hand for both parties, especially when bringing up the parts where they'd had sex. I was going to include Kunihiro or Azumi asking how many times they'd had sex, but that seemed a bit much and I couldn't quite fit it in once I got to Akira rooming with Sadayo during Shido's arc. I won't lie, I loved writing that part and I'm hoping I delivered on the image of parents finding out their son stayed with his teacher-girlfriend, alone, for a few weeks. Quite a thing to hear, huh? On top of all that I liked sprinkling little details about Sadayo, including her hometown, which will be visited in this story, and how subtly Kunihiro and Azumi's reactions to Akira's activities in Tokyo, which they're learning more about. **

**Next chapter will focus on Akira, and cover the fallout from this talk as hopefully I'll be able to feature the two of them returning home and maybe getting a phone call in about what had happened. I'll see you all then. Stay safe and healthy, everyone! **


	7. Chapter 7-Good to be Back

**Hey, everyone. After a months' long break of attending to other projects, I'm back. Last chapter was Sadayo-focused so this one will be centered on Akira hitting Tokyo after being away with some familiar faces. I'll save the author's commentary for the end. Enjoy! **

**I do not own anything.**

* * *

_**Not What You Were Expecting**_

_**Chapter 7-Good to Be Back**_

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_**Leblanc, 1:05 PM…**_

Even while they were a block away from Leblanc, Akira could inhale through his nose and swear he caught a whiff of the trademark coffee smell. He lost track of precisely when he personally began to smell like coffee, not that he ever minded too much. When he got back to Meguro, almost everyone around him commented how the smell of coffee seemed to stick to him; part of it was no doubt due to the fact that he'd quickly established himself as a master-class brewer. His parents had certainly taken note of it and praised him, especially his father who he walked beside.

"So, how's it feel to be coming back to Leblanc after all these years?" Asked the younger Kurusu with curiosity.

"It feels strange as hell, I can tell you that. The neighborhood's changed a bit since the last time I was here…it was almost four years ago, back when you were still in your first year of junior high." Kunihiro responded, a twinkle in his eyes. It glistened like a diamond as he looked to his right and left, it was the shine of nostalgia. Several times, he came to a subconscious stop and stared around him, lost in what he saw. Akira had a gut feeling that he was also trying to put himself in the former thief's shoes. He was patient in giving him the time he needed, even if he didn't ask. Something in Akira's gut also told him that he was likely still adjusting to the news of who it was he'd been seeing in Tokyo.

Kunihiro raised a brow when he began guiding them down an alternate route. Even though it'd been years since he'd been to Leblanc, his intuition told him they weren't going down the ordinary path, in order words Akira wasn't going to take them through the front entrance like normal people. Upon coming to that realization, he looked to his son, who merely grinned at him in response. Kunihiro let out a sigh and continued to follow Akira's lead. He did want to spend more time with him and get to know how he'd lived his life here in Tokyo, this was just a part of the experience.

He wasn't surprised in the slightest when he pulled out a key to the café's backdoor. About a week after returning from the big city, Akira told his parents that he had a key to get into Leblanc if he ever came back. Scratch that, _when_ he came back. It was all but certain that one day he would return to Japan's capital, no doubt to continue whatever life he'd led there in one form or another. As Kunihiro and his wife were learning, that life was more…eye-widening than they originally believed. Bit by bit they were seeing how the city would eventually lure their son back, albeit they weren't exactly against such a thing happening.

Already, Akira had a gut feeling as to who would be at Leblanc at this time. First and foremost, there would be Sojiro and Futaba, the former working and the latter killing time. Next up, he believe he heard something about Mishima stopping by. Leblanc was just as much a sanctuary for him as it was for the rest of the team. Hell, Akira would say it was a sanctuary for everyone affiliated with the Phantom Thieves, it made the café a truly special place. He'd been eager to return to it, eager to sit in one of the booths and stand behind the counter taking orders and preparing them. He had every intention of doing that, but first, he wanted to see who was there at this time of the day. As he guided his father through the back, he listened to the voices that reached his ears. The acute hearing and vision and sense of smell he attained from his time with the Phantom Thieves hadn't left him, they probably never would.

A smile formed along his fac e within seconds.

Kunihiro looked between his son and the barely shut door that stood before them. "Um, Akira? Are you…"

"Waiting for the right moment? Yeah, dad." Snickered the teen. He was clearly enjoying himself.

The architect sighed. "You know, I'm beginning to think you might have a future in acting. You've definitely developed the dramatic flair for it."

"I have, haven't I?" Grinned the teenager to which his father laughed. They were both rather good at keeping their voices down, fittingly enough, because they sometimes discussed topics that that weren't meant to be heard by others. Or they were trying to be as stealthy as possible. One could say it was a trait unique Akira and his parents. Some of his Phantom Thief tendencies had been born from habits he'd picked up from them. Turning his focus to the barely open door, he glanced through the crack and found the café was moderately packed, and with familiar faces to boot. His heart fluttered as he recognized the voices to go along with the faces. He could hardly contain himself, but Akira did. His father was right when he said he'd developed a flair of the dramatic. Making his entrance what he felt was the best time had become a little habit of his.

"Someone seems like they're in a good mood, I take it the kid's back?" Sounded the amused voice of his former employer at "Untouchable".

"Lucky guess?" Replied Sojiro in a jovial tone. "You kids have something planned for the afternoon?"

He had called up Ryuji and a handful of others the night before, his way of letting them know he was back in town. Ryuji had practically blown his ear out when he answered his call; Akira had a smile on his face hearing his booming voice. After that, it'd been a short order in calling up everyone else. Haru, Ann, and Yusuke were happy to hear from him, albeit when he brought up the idea of getting together on Saturday they had to turn him down. He was sadden, but not completely surprised, what he was a little surprised at was Makoto being free since she was perhaps the most committed to her future career path. Thinking about it, Akira wondered if talking to her would clear up some of the confusion he felt about his own career path. There was some humor to be found in the fact that he'd come back to Tokyo to meet with two father-figures who'd outright offered him a job when he became of age. Both of their young charges were in the café, he could tell by the fast typing of Futaba's fingers and Kaoru's voice, Mishima's voice occasionally came through as well.

Akira took comfort in hearing their voices in person instead of just over the phone. The comfort he felt caused him to linger behind the door a few seconds longer than he intended. Luckily for him, his father was understanding and patient. He could feel his gray eyes on him, patiently waiting for him to reveal himself, he'd wait as long as his son needed.

"No clue, but Akira told us that he'd let us know." Sounded Kaoru, excitement evident in his voice. It was almost enough to get Akira to step out of his hiding place. Almost.

Through the gap in the door, he saw Iwai take his seat with his son. He was now surrounded by him, Futaba, and Mishima, all of whom were busy chatting it up with each other. The former Yakuza looked a little weird out at being surrounded by the three teens, all of whom fell under the blanket term if "innocent" when compared to the usual crowd of people that he hung out with. That was good, part of his relationship with the former Yakuza had been helping him out of his darken past and stepping into the light, where he could raise his son. That son now had friends, and was about to meet someone he was sure he was going to take a liking to.

So engrossed in the conversation, particularly centered on the recent changes that had been going on around the city for the last half year, none of them noticed Akira gently push the door open and slip out, his father following behind them. Sojiro failed to notice either as he was half-listening and half preparing some more customer orders. This was the Leblanc that he remembered and the one he longed to return to. He was back.

"Yo, boss, you wouldn't mind a little help, would you?" Akira called out.

Immediately, almost all activity in the café stopped as all occupants registered his voice. The first to turn to hi was Sojiro. There was an instant twinkle in his eyes, the shine growing brighter as he briefly looked up and saw another set of stormy-gray eyes. Kunihiro waved at his old friend, whose smile brightened upon seeing him.

"About time you showed up, here I was thinking you'd have forgotten about little 'ole me." Joked the former government worker with a hearty chuckle.

Akira laughed. "Forget about you and this place? Never. Besides, it's possibly where I'd like to spend my sunset years-serving coffee just like you." He meant it. While managing Leblanc was definitely something that Akira could do and even wanted to do, there was…more to it. Preparing coffee and food was fun, but he knew deep down there was more he could do with his youth. Perhaps once he was in his fifties or sixties, he could see about managing Leblanc, provided Sojiro gave him his blessings, and Haru was willing to work with him. Akira wanted to believe that was still a long ways' off, perhaps a good thirty years or so. For now though, he didn't want to look that far ahead, he wanted to bask in the present.

"Akira!" Shouted a trio of voices from beyond the counter. Again, the former knife-user laughed as he recognized all three. In response, the gray-eyed teen only waved at them as if he were passing them on the subway.

"W-When did you get in? How?" Questioned Mishima with genuine amusement in his face and elation written all over his face.

The infamous Joker winked. "Well, I lived here for a year so I naturally know the ins and outs. Housing secrets that I'm afraid I won't be surrendering anytime soon." A round of laughter echoed from everyone in the café, even muted laughter from the likes of Iwai, who looked no less happy to see him in the flesh. It wasn't long before some were getting up out of their seats and marching over to him. Akira whole-heartedly welcomed their embrace.

Mrs. Ayakawa was a retired nurse who lived just a few blocks from Leblanc, she now ran a sowing shop that Akira and Sadayo had stopped by once or twice. She always offered the finest fabrics she had on hand for Akira to buy, provided when she stopped by Leblanc he was there and willing to serve her. Likewise, the Furuki brothers owned an electronics store that he'd become well-acquainted with thanks to Futaba. The twin redheads were surprised the day they watched her walk into their store for some spare parts, clenching firmly to Akira's side; he smiled and waved at the twins, who regarded him with shock before grinning back at him. Single Hamasaki had stopped by with his two daughters, Kotori and Chiyoko. The little girls were practically ready to climb over the counter top to hug him, though with the way Futaba was beaming a him, Akira had a feeling that she'd beat them to it.

Far to his right, closest to the back door that he and his father had walked through, set an adult brunette. What immediately caught Akira's eye was the very visible baby bump she was sporting, something she didn't have the last time she visited Leblanc. What she did have was an American boyfriend whom last he heard had popped the question…after some subtle encouragement from Akira and a handful of others. He was glad to see that the subtle encouragement had worked, in spades apparently. Her caramel-colored eyes found his and a wink followed along with a raised glass. "And so the prodigal son returns!" She shouted with glee.

"So he has." Akira somewhat sheepishly responded while everyone continued to beam at him, including Futaba. Unable to contain her excitement anymore, she jumped from her seat and raced around the counter, much to Sojiro's relief, pushing past the two adults to hug him. Akira quickly wrapped his arms around his surrogate sister and returned her affection. It was good to be back. "This answers the question of rather or not I've been missed." Shooting Mishima a grin, he reached out and high-fived the boy across the counter, then did the same to Kaoru.

His father stood off to the side with Sojiro, the two men quietly conversing amongst themselves while he did the same with his old friends and regulars. It was an odd thing, but it was a happy oddity. A part of him had always longed to get his father in Leblanc, his mother too, though for the moment he was happy with his father. Maybe some time later on in the week he could get his mom to come by when he was working.

Of course, one way or another his mother would be setting foot in Leblanc…and his girlfriend would probably be there too. Without him. The thought sat in the back of Akira's mind, but he did his best to curb it. Now wasn't a time to think about any of that, he had customers he had to attend to.

There wasn't a need to ask Sojiro, but he did so anyway just for the hell of it. The answer was obvious, in seconds he was wearing his trademark apron and back to doing what he did best, or one of the things he did best-serving customers at Leblanc. He was happy to be back, and so too were his customers, some of whom decided that they'd stay longer than intended.

Little Kotori and Chiyoko jumped from their seats and hugged his legs when he brought their servings of juice. Experience had taught Akira had to keep a close handle on the orders he was preparing when getting physical with customers. To his credit, he hugged them back once he sat their drinks down and bowed in respect to their father, who told him it was nice to have him back in Tokyo, at least for a little while. Akira was happy to see Hamasaki looking better and doing well for himself and his family, he'd needed a little help to get there, help that he and his friends had provided as their alter egos. Corrupt bosses were a frequent target of theirs.

In the recesses of Akira's mind, he thought back to the characters of those they'd targeted while he served out orders and chatted with the café patrons. Some of them could have been reached through legal means…but if that route would have been taken, would it have worked? That was a question he'd kept on asking himself over the last few days, specifically since his talk with Oshiro-sensei.

Everyone was happy to see that his skills hadn't diminished in his time away from Leblanc. He'd cracked a grin and told them that such skills had become a point of pride, he wasn't going to let them slip away that easily to which there was a round of cheers.

As he correctly guessed, Satoko Akutsu was now Satoko McCray, happily married and expecting a baby, a boy to be precise. Akira couldn't be any happier for the news staff worker. She'd walked right into Leblanc looking like a zombie, something that wasn't too uncommon, especially on rainy spring day. That day had turned into a chat between a high schooler and a middle-aged woman who could have used a break from her job in the newsroom. At first, Akira thought he could create another potential information source, but in the end he'd just went with being a listening ear and providing the best brewed coffee he could. Ultimately, his decision had been the right one as Satoko had kept on coming back, finding a bit of sanctuary in Leblanc like so many others…and finding a boyfriend turned husband I a young American mechanic who was working at the moment. Satoko laughed as Akira gently rubbed his hand against her baby bump. It wasn't his first time doing such a thing…but it had been at least two years since he'd known a woman well enough for them to allow him to feel their baby bumps. Back in Meguro, he couldn't help but noticed how some mothers clenched at their kids a little tighter whenever he was around. The reasons why weren't hard to figure out, but it made his time back here in Tokyo all the sweeter.

"I'm about three months along, so by next spring me and Ryan and a mini-Ryan should be stopping by." Satoko laughed.

"I'll be looking forward to serving all three of you." Responded the small-town native. "Alternatively, I might not be the only one serving you." He added turning his gaze sideways to his three teenage friends.

"Oh no, we already talked about this, Futaba is not to be left alone in the kitchen." Sojiro called, annoyance evident in his voice.

"Geez, how many I supposed to learn how to fend for myself if you won't let me learn!" Called back the hacker in a catty voice.

"Eh, Futaba, I…think what he means is your home kitchen is a place for that." Mishima offered, a pained smile on his face. Akira knew that look, there was a story behind it, one that he could possibly get latter on tonight when they hit the town. "Eh, Leblanc is best left to the professionals."

"In other words, yours truly." Proudly proclaimed the secret leader of the Phantom Thieves of Heart. "Ahem, since he's here, allow me to introduce all of you to my father, Kunihiro Kurusu." With a grin, he gave a mock bow and pointed to his father, who'd stood off to the side with Sojiro quietly observing things. Now the spotlight had shined on him, and he was clearly shocked and a tad uncomfortable by it…which was exactly what Akira planned.

His father shot him a somewhat cross look as all eyes in the café went to him. As usual, he recovered quickly and stood tall and at attention. He stepped out from behind the counter and stood in front of the doorway that led up to the attic, his former room. Akira knew his father would want to see it for himself, but that was for later. He enjoyed seeing his father ins his "business form", that is when he stood tall and proud, eyes focused and determined to set an air of professionalism. Some would say it's a tad excessive given he was speaking to a group of average café goers, but from Kunihiro's perspective, there was more to it than that.

He looked at each of the occupants, eyes glistening, and then bowed his head. "It's nice to meet you all, and from the bottom of my heart, thank you all for looking after my son."

Even if he knew it was coming, Akira was slightly taken back by his father's words. The shock was momentary, fading fast like a drop of rain on the pavement. A warm, comforting smile spread along his face while the rest of the café descended into warm-hearted acceptance, albeit there was some confusion from Kotori and Chiyoko, the two black-haired girls asking their father while his was thanking them for looking after him. All the single father did was smile at them and say they'll understand in time. Hamasaki looked to his father and smiled, a silent understanding passing between them. Practically the adults knew as every one of them were parents, including Iwai, who merely tipped his hat at the man.

"It's nice to have you back, it's nice to have you both back." Whispered the café owner, affection in his voice.

"It's damn good to be back." Akira whispered back with a grin. With his path free, he watched as Iwai stood up and walked in front of his father, who gave another respectful bow to him. He'd already came clean about…most of his activities in Tokyo, including who he'd worked for and the friendships he'd made, many of which had left his parents with gaping jaws. It was hard not to be surprised to find that one's offspring had been working under a former Yakuza…who was also running weapons for him. That part of the "confession night" had been so intense his parents had to take a break, not that he could blame them.

. "Suppose I should introduce myself too…and thank you for rising one hell of a son. Muneshisa Iwai, former employer of your son."

"And one of the people who looked after him while he was here, for which I thank you, Iwai-san." Responded the dark-haired office designer looking the former yakuza in the eye and returning his handshake. "Akira, um, told me about you. He promised me a look around your shop."

"He's a model geek." Chirped the teenager from the sidelines, a smirk on his face as his father became flustered at the statement. At the proclamation, Futaba hopped atop his shoulder and looked to the elder Kurusu with wide and interested eyes. "He's also were I get my eye for detail from. And most of my book smarts."

A bright blush spread along his father's cheeks, it got a laugh out of practically everyone in the café.

"Like I said, you raised one hell of a capable young man. So, is it true that you're…into models and the like?" Repeated the airsoft shop owner with a glint in his eyes.

"I, well, I dabble. I-I mean I've had an interest, a-and I've been working with my hands since I was a kid." Admitted the goateed man nervously brushing the back of his head. It was a bit unconventional, but he was happy to have met a fellow model enthusiast, even if his choice of models was rather…eyebrow-raising.

Behind the counter, the four teenagers were watching the talk with thinly veiled amusement, especially Akira. Beside him, Kaoru was watching the exchange like it was a star showering; it wasn't surprising considering that in many ways he was taking after his adoptive father. He'd spent several afternoons helping Akira around the shop, slowly but surely gaining a knowledge of models and firearms, something that Iwai wasn't entirely pleased about, but grew to accept. Akira eased his fears when he told him that the young boy was branching out past guns and onto other projects, such as building construction and car models. The former criminal had not been the only one grateful for that, so too had Akira as those times reminded him of his father, whom he missed during his year in Tokyo.

"Your dad's kind of…does he usually act like this?" Futaba whispered from the sidelines, and behind her surrogate brother.

"I think he's kind of cool. Think he could give me some design tips?" Karou questioned with an upbeat tone.

"You're free to ask him, you know when the time comes up." Whispered the former Phantom Thief.

"Speaking of time, Akira! You're officially on the clock!" The teenager gave a mock salute accompanied by a smile. "Now, um, Kunihiro, I'm pretty sure you want to…"

Akira caught the look Sojiro was giving him, followed next by his father. There was no betting around the bush between the three of them. In his heart he knew the moment he and his father had left the hotel what was going to end up happening when they got to Leblanc and met Sojiro. Of course, that discussion was going to be between the two adult men, not out here in the open while he was serving customers. Speaking of which, two new customers walked in, two more familiar faces who expressed shock in seeing him. He gave a courteous wave back and a welcome to the two college girls. While he did so, his father and Sojiro slipped out through the backdoor, the same door that he'd snuck in through.

Well, that's that. Nothing more I can do but hope for the best. By that, Akira met he hoped his dad wouldn't be too angryat his old friend for keeping his teacher-girlfriend a secret. After all, it wasn't like that sort of thing was easy to explain, was it?

All too quickly, Akira lost himself in the happy daze of being back at work. This time though, instead of the shadow of his Phantom Thief affairs hanging over his head, there was only the looming phantom of his secret relationship with his now former teacher. Comparing the two was rather funny as Akira in some ways felt a longing for the former over the latter. One could have said it was a testament to how he felt about his relationship with Sadayo. While criminal activity and the fate of the nation were no small feats, affairs of the heart always hit on a personal scale. The hit was only magnified as he watched the happy couple who'd just walked in and greeted him get down and enjoy themselves just like everyone else was doing this fine autumn afternoon. In addition to that, Akira could see that romance was indeed in the air.

Both Mishima and Kaoru were competing for Futaba's attention. Neither of the boys were subtle about it, at least not to Akira's trained eye. Lucky for him, he had many reasons to smile thus he was able to keep his observations hidden behind a light smile and hum. He couldn't quite say he was surprised, especially by Mishima. In spite of the…rather poor first meeting between the two, it was clear that the hacker had caught the young man's attention, it was rather hard for Futaba _not _to draw attention to herself; quick ironic for a recovering hikikmori. Sure, it was a tad cliché, but sometimes life was closer to fiction than people would have liked to believe. Akira's eyes moved between Iwai and the backdoor, he could only imagine what sort of talks he and Sojiro could end up potential relationship. With Mishima, well, Akira knew for a fact that the "power trio" of him and Mishima and Ryuji would be getting back together a lot more often. And Ryuji would be at a crossroads between playing protective big brother and encouraging friend; Akira would be in the same boat as well.

His attention was drawn to the mounted TV as another news breaking news broadcast interrupted the programing already in session.

"Well, I can't quite say I'm surprised. It might be another year before the trickle down stops." Stated Mrs. Ayakawa in a rather mournful voice.

"I would like it if by then we had an actual prime minister, but with the number of reveals there's been…well, I never thought I'd consider certain people eligible to be in charge." Replied Taro Furuki with a heavy sigh. "Still, to think a political scandal this big, it's like the plot of damn political drama!"

_If all you all knew. _Mournfully thought the black-haired teenager. As he scoured the café, his eyes locked with Mishima, who stared intently at the TV screen. They were both on the same wavelength, and in some ways both were grateful that the truth would forever remain within the Phantom Thieves and their circle of associates. His gaze flickered to Iwai, who gave him a short but understanding nod. Sadayo had told him that she'd been keeping up with politics since he left town, practically everyone had as though the Conspiracy had been decapitated at the head, the body was still flailing about. Over the last half year, that flailing had held a place in national news, and even international news. It was hard to overlook what was revealed to be almost an entire quarter of the Japanese government being investigate for various felonies which were ending careers, permanently maiming some, and in some cases prompting people to flee the country…or commit suicide to avoid scandal.

And here Akira stood, having helped bring it all about, having spearheaded the movement that brought it all crashing down. Rather than being on talk shows and giving interviews, he was here, working in a quiet little café in an exceedingly residential part of Tokyo, his biggest fear being how badly his actual father was grilling his surrogate father over his secret relationship with a high school teacher. It was so ludicrously bonkers no one would have believed it. And yet, it was the life that Akira was ultimately happy with. He was happy to serve up café and food, he was happy to laugh and talk with customers and wave them farewell when they were finished, and greet them when they returned, he was happy to be able to see the faces of his loved ones again.

_**Akira, I can sense it, that hunger inside of you. Quite a paradox, you hunger for the infamy you know this path will bring you, yet you know that anonymity is your closest ally. Such a contradiction, I wonder…which one will you choose? **_

Arsene had asked him that question the night he and Ann and Ryuji and Morgana had decided to form the Phantom Thieves of Heart. It was a fair question, especially since Arsene was voicing the concerns that Akira himself held within him.

"…_Maybe I can try to do both. After all…all everyone will see will be the mask, so long as I can keep the face behind it a secret, I've got a shot, don't I?" _

_**Heheh, taking a third option, eh? I knew that the slumbering flame within you would ignite. How long will it burn, and how bright shall its luminous be? Such questions I look forward to seeing answered in the uncertain but exciting future that awaits us, my other half. **_

He glanced at the backdoor that Sojiro and his father had disappeared through. It'd been almost ten minutes since they'd left. So far, he hadn't felt the earth shake or heard an explosion of some unknown origin, that was a good sign, right? Oddly enough, Akira felt an odd sense of calmness that lasted for the next couple of minutes. Finally, he heard the sound of the backdoor opening and footsteps, two sets of footsteps. Holding onto his composure, he craned his head to the side and saw his father and Sojiro re-entering the café. To his immense relief, they looked the same as they had when they'd left. Or almost the same, the latter looked like he'd lost maybe about two years of his life. Ultimately, the two men caught his gaze and smiled, reassuring him that he had nothing to worry about. For now at least.

_What would you have to say now, Arsene? Would you say I've succeeded in walking the third path? _Mused the gray-eyed teenager. For all intents and purposes, he'd made it through relatively whole…on the surface at least, but not it wasn't over with yet. Akira's eyes silently moved along the booths, many of which were now occupied. After closing time tonight, one of them was going to be occupied, and by a very special trio of people. One of them would be his father, who sat just a few feet from him. Beside him would be the woman who brought him into the world, and odds were, across from them would be the woman who made the world living in, and worth fighting for. What would happen when the two women met? Akira knew his mother was…quite intimidating when she wanted to be, nor was she someone who stood for lies when they involved the people she cared about. Matter of fact, the only times Akira had ever really seen her upset or even furious was when he or his father were directly threatened. It wasn't a pretty sight, and it was one he feared Sadayo might find herself facing.

But he had to have faith in her, in his parents to be reasonable and thus willing to listen.

Quietly chuckling to himself, he laughed at how when it came down to the most important things in his life, faith was what he ended up counting on. That and his own stubbornness to see something through to the bitter end. That hadn't changed, and it probably never would.

* * *

_**Yoyogi Park, 6:13 PM…**_

"Yo, Akira!" Shouted the jovial voice of the Phantom Thieves strongman, his best friend. In seconds he was out of his seat and jogging over, arms spread out and his face beaming with excitement.

"In the flesh!" Shouted back the knife-user, meeting the dyed-haired teen half-way in a youthful hug. The excitement and joy that had been welling up within Akira exploded, just as it was in Ryuji. Half a year of talking through the phone and video chats had been nice, but both secretly longed to see each other in the flesh. It felt like they had so much to talk about, and they most certainly did.

The brotherly moment was witnessed by the rest of the group, who looked on with naked joy. Makoto shook her head in motherly approval, as she almost always did. For the night, she was going to be the designated "adult" of the group…but she was also a member of the Phantom Thieves who was happy to have their leader and friend back. It felt a lot like having a missing piece of her soul returned to her, something that went for Ryuji as well, maybe a little bit more so.

It was growing harder and harder to remember when the dyed-haired blonde was just another school delinquent, or at least that's how he'd looked on the surface. Makoto had to admit she was guilty of believing him to adhere to the stereotypes and not thinking beyond them. As with many things, that had changed when Akira had came to Shujin and practically revolutionized the entire school. _I wonder…tonight will I finally be able to tell you how I-_

"It's about time you showed up! Come on, hurry up or else we're going to run late!" Exclaimed Futaba, practically bouncing on her feet.

"Hey, if you're worried about being atop one of our shoulders." Akira chirped. Ryuji grinned and made a flexing motion with his free left arm. Like an unsheathed knife, the former Wild Card's eyes flashed. "Or, you could ask Mishima or Kaoru to do it. I'm sure neither of them would mind giving you a literal leg up."

Both dark-haired boys flinched at his statement, then did so again as the orange-haired hacker looked to the two of them. Her eyes shined making it seem she really was weighing asking them to do that. Futaba wasn't exactly tall herself, nor were Mishima or Kaoru…they weren't that strong either, well, Kaoru in particular. Mishima had hung out with Ryuji enough that in spite of his somewhat lanky form, he hand a bit of muscle on him. He also had absolutely _no _trouble exerting himself if it got him close to a pretty girl…which he considered Futaba Sakura to be. The gears in his head were already turning, and from what Akira could see, he was preparing himself for such a task. All with a growing grin on his face. Kaoru, in contrast, had a growing look of horror on his face.

"Ahem, as…interesting a sight as that would be, we won't be doing it. Come on, people! Hustle!" Barked the younger of the Niijima sisters in her usual commanding voice. Spinning on her heel, she began to walk fast, practically run with the rest of the group following suit.

It wasn't long before they came upon a larger crowd. For a moment, it looked like their progress would cease, but Akira, Ryuji, and Makoto all looked to each other and merely grinned. The first took hold of Kaoru with Ryuji and Makoto doing the same to Mishima and Futaba respectively. Together, they pushed through the crowd, their ears drumming with the rhythmic beat of the music ahead of them and their hearts thundering with excitement. It nearly exploded as they finally pushed their way up front, to where the group of six dancers were masterfully performing in front of an audience that was quickly growing into the hundreds. Three boys and three girls, all perhaps five years or so Akira and Makoto's age. In spite of the rather chilly night air, the group of six had worked up a sweat which shined beneath the lights of the park. Their bodies moved in perfect synchronization with each other, and the music. The music was blaring loud from an personally set stereo.

The music was in a dead heat with the roar of the crowd around the six dancers, none of whom lost their rhythm as they continued to dance before the crowd. Smart phones and even a few old cameras were out recording every second of their coordinated performance. Mishima and Futaba were among them, both have their phones out and recording every second of the show unfolding before them. Like the rest of the crowd, they were watching with excitement etched onto their faces.

"Remember when it was next to impossible to get her to come out of her room?" Akira whispered as he leaned close to Makoto.

"Feels like another life time ago." She practically had to shout back for her voice to be heard over the roar of the crowd and the music. Looking to Akira, her normal blood-red eyes now looked like shining rubies. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For…well, everything really. For this." Looking back at the dance, Makoto kept the smile and most of her attention focused on it while still speaking directly to Akira. "If it weren't for you and everyone else, I would have stayed the same old teacher's pet who couldn't help anyone, who couldn't bring out of her own cage of self-doubt and anxiety. Thanks to you…I'm here, enjoying a nice Saturday knighting hanging out with my friends, and I couldn't be any happier for it!"

Chuckling, Akira joined the cheer that rose up around him. It was rather ironic to think about, Makoto had doubtlessly been the stereotypical teacher's pet beholden to a corrupt principal when Akira came to Shujin academy. He could see some inklings of a better person beneath the rather frosty exterior, a bit of a habit or even a talent of his; as usual, his suspicions had proved to be on the money and a potential obstacle became an asset. A friend.

That friend stood alongside four others, cheering with the rest of the crowd as the dance group continued to keep pace with the music, their bodies still moving in perfect coordination. Having spent quite a bit of time watching his mother and even practicing with her, Akira knew he was looking at six future professionals. To be more precise, he was looking at three pairs of professional dancing duos.

Samba was usually performed with two partners, but the world of dancing was open to experimentation, just like all forms of art. That's what this group had done, taken a traditional two-person dance and turned it into a six-person performance, all of them working in perfect cohesion with each other, which was one reason why they'd become so popular. The movements of the men and women caught and held the eyes of spectators. For some men, they were no doubt attracted to the sensual shaking of the hips and chest of the three females, especially the redhead and bluette; the two ladies were rather well endowed in the chest area, which certainly drew male attention. Granted, the third female, a brunette, was shining just as brightly. Her hips swayed with her partner's, whose hands occasionally glided over them, holding them in such a sensual manner they could compete with the bustier girls. Their partners were just as devoted and driven as evident in their movements.

Akira could tell in a few short glances that the men had been practicing as diligently as their partners; they kept their eyes on them, on their _faces_ instead of their bodies. Catching the looks in their eyes, he nodded in approval as he saw nothing short of pure devotion tempered raw focus they danced to the beat of the song.

The six dancers were in their own little world, yet that world was a bright blazing star to the rest of them. It seemed the starry radiance would never fade, and no one seemed to have a problem with that. Akira was amongst them, and so too were the rest of his friends. Especially Ryuji.

Tearing his eyes away form the dancers, he caught a glimpse of his best friend. Like everyone else, he too was dazzled, but Akira could see _more _than that. He knew that look, it was the same look he had in class when he was honestly trying to listen and absorb the lesson being taught. In this case, the lesson were the dance moves of the guys; Ryuji was studying them with an uncharacteristic focus. At first, Akira felt a twinge of confusion at the unusual sight, but the pieces immediately connected. A sly grin spread over his face; thankfully, thanks to spectacle, it was easy to hide or shrug off.

As samba was originally meant for two people, couples performances came next as the current song winded to a close. The crowd broke out in thunderous applause as the six dancers came to a collective stop and bowed, basking in the praise their performance had brought them. It was also a moment to catch their breath as giving such a performance hadn't been easy. They'd more than earned their short break.

Almost five minutes later and very little of the large crowd had dispersed for they knew there was another show coming. Practically everyone was eager to what came next though those who'd pre-planned already knew. Glancing around, Akira saw several couples clenching onto each other. Looking down, he saw the two black-haired boys look between the dancers and Futaba, who was still too enamored with the show to take notice of either boy; perhaps that was a blessing for the two of them.

The first couple to take center stage was the busty redhead and her partner, a young spiky-haired youth with dark green hair. Both looked to one another with a smile and utter confidence showing the faith that they had in one another, faith that was once more shown as the music began and they took off into the spotlight.

Dancing to samba wasn't as easy as some made it out to be. Scratch that, it was _never _easy, dancing was something that required blood and sweat. The couple had most definitely put that in as evident by their impassioned yet synchronized movements, which succeeded in memorized the crowd just as the group samba did. Now that it was two people, the focus was entirely on the two, something that they knew and made the most of in their movements.

"Hey, uh, your mom's a dancer, right?" Ryuji whispered. Most people that knew Ryuji would have said that shouting volume was his "natural" voice. At times that was try, but he could be quiet, after all, he was a Phantom Thief after all.

"Gymnast, but she does teach dancing as well." Whispered back the black-haired teen. "If you want, I could ask her to take some time off to teach you."

Ryuji's eyes widen at the suggestion, even though internally he was probably sighing in sweet relief. "S-S-Seriously?"

"You realize my parents have been pretty eager to meet you, right?"

"F-For real?" He exclaimed, still in a subdued voice. If the rest of their inner circle could see them, their jaws would likely be lying flat on the ground from how quiet he was keeping his voice. "I-I mean, y-you're she would…"

"She wants to meet your mom too." Akira added. Again, Ryuji surprised him in merely expressing shock through facial expressions instead of screaming out in shock. It was enough to make Akira snicker in amusement. His gaze went back toward the samba dance, watching it was giving him some ideas. "I've seen you run, jump, and sprint, I'm sure that you can dance."

"Maybe not like that. No way in hell I could _ever_ be that graceful." Muttered the former tracker runner. His brown eyes watched the movements of the male dancer with surprising closeness. He had speed and grace, the former he knew quite a bit about but the latter was something he'd always struggled with. Ryuji had never been a graceful person, hell, the very concept of dancing was something he'd never given a moment's thought to. It was something his mom had laughed over though, especially when one of the networks was showing some sort of dancing competition. Ryuji did everything in his power to avoid watching them; when he befriended Akira and Ann that changed a little.

"You don't have to be as graceful as that, what we're seeing before us, that's something you can only do if you're _passionate _about it. Like those two are." Akira responded. Even as he'd listen to Ryuji talk, he'd never let his attention waver from the dancers, their performance had been enough to keep the other half of his attention occupied. _Almost perfect, the girl was off by a two beats, but he was able to recover quickly and adjust to them. _He imagined he was one of the few in the audience who'd spotted the micro-sized mistakes that had been made in the performance. Overall though, it was worth the applause that followed. Looking closer, Akira saw the girl's expression darken as she was aware of her mistakes, but the boy tapped her on the shoulder and smiled. A few mistakes weren't enough to dent the stars' worthy performance they'd given, if anything, they'd set the standard for the next couple that walked up.

The Latin rhythm music stopped cluing Akira into what was going to come next. While it was going to be a couple's dance, it was going to be of a different tone, almost literally. His ears buzzed as the iPod began to play, his hands moving together in a quiet clap, the first of many to come.

It wasn't long before the next pair, the brunette and a young man with coal-black hair long enough it could be tied into a little pony tail. Brief as it was, Akira saw the blush that blossomed on the latter's face as he took the hand of his brown-haired partner. There was no denying that there was some romantic tension between the pair; it made the resulting swing dance all the better.

"_W-What kind of dances do I like?" _

"_Yeah, come on, tell me!" _

Sadayo had looked like she'd just been asked to give her bra size, something that Akira already had knowledge of, quite proudly at that. A fierce blush had consumed her face as she attempted to look away from him, but it was in vain as all she did was just cause him to stare more intensely at her. His fingers began to lightly drum against her hips causing a jolt of ecstasy to run up her. She knew that when he wanted an answer on her interests he kept on her until she gave him one. It was infuriating, yet at the same time something that made she found attractive and it kept their relationship humming along.

"_Um…well, would you…laugh at me if I told you that…swing dance has always seemed kind of appealing to me?" _

"_You make it sound like there's something wrong with that. As it so happens, I'm kind of a fan of swing dancing too." _

"_R-Really? Y-You're not saying that just to make me feel better, are you?" _

The way the couple before him were dancing was what Akira wished he could have done with his girlfriend. Alas, a shopping mall wasn't quite the ideal place to do that, the lack of jazz music was a real downer, but he'd silently promised that one day he'd take Sadayo's hand and have her moving her feet to the rhythm like he could. For now, he just felt happy for the couple swinging back and forth in front of him. Their footwork was impressive, but the looks of pure joy on their faces was what really sold it for him.

"Woah, so that's what swing looks like up close and personal." Futaba mouthed in awe, nearly dropping her smart phone thus interrupting her own recording.

"It sure is something, huh? Think you'd like to give it a try sometime?" Kaoru offered, a slight blush on his cheeks.

Akira, Ryuji, and Makoto all snickered as the hacker looked to the boy with a near scandalized face…and a little bit of a blush. Clearly she was considering it, even though dancing was…not exactly one of Futaba's hobbies. She had that in common with Ryuji.

Realizing that he was about to lose to his love rival, Mishima quickly interjected. "I-I-If y-you want to dance, t-t-then I'd make a great partner! I even practiced with Akira!"

"Huh?!"

The group's eyes looked to the dark blue-haired teen, who seemingly realized exactly what it was he'd said. His recovery was to be admired though as he stood up straight and proud, like his statement was the Bonafede truth. Naturally, their gaze swerved to Akira; the former Wild Card returned their shocked gaze with an impish grin that left them more baffled than they already were. With a shrug, he directed their attention back to the dancers. Now, Futaba was looking at Mishima instead of Kaoru, who was looking at the boy with slight annoyance. The young author had quickly stolen the attention from him. Not one to be outdone, he turned his head back and silently looked at his brother-figure.

"Can you…teach me how to dance?" He whispered in an equally quiet voice.

Having been close by, Ryuji could hear the future freshman's request, he looked to Akira with a curious gaze, their last conversation wasn't far from his mind, especially since it happened less than three minutes ago.

"I'll set something up." He winked. He'd probably have to clear it with Iwai first; briefly, Akira wondered exactly how the former gangster would react to learning his son wanted to practice dancing to impress a girl. Or just the fact that he was interested in a girl to begin with. Hey, it was a topic that was bound to come up at some point. The song came to an end, and with it another applause-worthy dance; this one had been even more spectacular than the last based on the excited roar that followed. Akira clapped pretty loudly himself, very impressed with the performance he'd seen; it also left him vaguely wondering if he could ever reach a level like that with the right partner. He couldn't deny that somewhere in the back of his mind, he'd thought about it, especially during his time with the Phantom Thieves where he saw his teammates performing their own acrobatic stunts, especially Goro. He probably would have made the best partner out of everyone on the entire team.

But the truth was, the person who he really wanted to perform such a dance with would probably be too nervous to ever attempt such a thing. A slight jolt ran through him as he thought the number of ways he could help crack her shell and help her step out onto the dance floor with him. Questions for another time, thus he filed them away into the back of his mind. Hopefully he could see about revisiting them in a couple of months, maybe in the spring.

"This song," Came Mishima's voice causing all attention to go to him.

"Wait, don't tell me you actually know this next one." Ryuji whispered, clearly taken back. All things considered, Mishima was actually a pretty smart person, beyond the typical teenage boy hobbies having some rather eye-catching interests. Ryuji raised an eyebrow and listened closely to the music that had begun to play. "I'm guessing another Latin number?"

Mishima nodded. "Yeah, it's bo…bo…"

"Bolero." Akira answered as the final pair took center stage before the audience. As befitting to the music now playing, the couple, the bluette and a rather round-bodied man began their slow dance to the baited breath of the audience. It was a stark contrast to the vibrant and fast-paced dance of the previous couple. "Think of it as a mix between the waltz and the rumba. It started in Spain then spread to the rest of Latin America, really hitting it big in Cuba and just kept on going from there."

"Uhm, is it…popular amongst couples?" Kaoru questioned with a slight pink tint on his face as he watched the two performers. Due to the faster-paced nature of the previous dance, there hadn't been much time to observe the more…sensual undertones of the dances being performed. With the Bolero, it was the opposite, thanks to the slow and steady rhythm, not to mention the extreme close proximity the pair kept to one another.

"Yep." Answered the teenager in a cheery tone. As always, while he was enamored with the dance, he also made sure to keep a close eye on his friends to gauge their reactions. Makoto was pleased with what she was watching, but Ryuji once again was the real eye-catcher. His deeply observant expression only confirmed the theory building in his mind. The dyed-haired blond wasn't the only one watching closely, Futaba, somewhat surprisingly, was as well. He'd heard as she stepped back out into the world her…interests had begun to expand as well. Sojiro was supposedly concerned…as was Makoto. It was obvious that she was paying just a _tad_ more attention to the busty blue-haired woman. Of course, her gaze was focused on her partner; in a further contrast to the previous pair, the duo's faces were rather stoic as they fell away then leaned back in close to each other. There was the occasional slip-up though, when the stoicism crumbled and Akira saw a glimpse of emotion on their faces-tranquility.

That was the overall mood of the crowd as they quietly watched the couple slowly but sensually connect then separate from one another. Their time apart never lasted more than a few seconds, they were falling back toward one another or spinning into each other's arms where they were gently caught and held. Those few seconds seemed to hold the audience's attention as if the two were suspended atop some highwire.

Time lost its meaning until the girl was lifted off her feet and into the arms of her partner, who graceful spun her about. His face cracked as a small but warm smile spread; it was mirrored on the blue-haired girl's face. She was clearly enjoying being held in his arms meaning that as with the previous couple, these two had a relationship beyond simple dance partners. He softly let her down, twirling about behind her while she spun to face him. Her hands were on his face and his on her hips, they were close enough that from a distance they could have been confused for kissing, but they weren't. The kiss came _after _the music ended and the crowd erupted into applause for the third time. That was when the last vintages of control were lost and the couple happily embraced one another.

As he clapped, Akira let his mind drift back to the past. Once he became old enough, he recognized that one reason why his dad enjoyed dancing even though he had next to no sense of rhythm was that it allowed him to be physically close to his mom. That it gave him an excuse beyond being her husband to touch and feel her. His middle school years were filled with fun teasing that often left the older Kurusu blushing a bright red and Akira and his mom chuckling or outright laughing their butts off. That was the past and it was always enough to put a smile on his face. When he looked to the future, he was still able to smile, but he couldn't help but question if the trend would repeat itself with him and Sadayo. Would they even make it far enough to be married? Children? Watching the three pairs of dancers performing for an audience of a hundred or so had kicked up all the questions he'd been struggling to keep contained in favor of enjoying his time with his friends.

Looking at Ryuji, Makoto, Mishima, Futaba, and Kaoru, he felt happy to see they were clapping and smiling. They'd all enjoyed the dance performances; Futaba's rather upbeat and bedazzled expression was nearly enough to melt his heart. Once again, he found himself looking back to the past, where she would cling onto his backside nearly every place they went, unsure and even a tad afraid to open up to new things. Now, well, he was perhaps being a bit optimistic in thinking that just maybe they'd all opened her up to something new.

"Mishima," He whispered leaning in close. His voice nearly caused the shorter boy to jump out of his skin. "Nice work."

"I-I got lucky, really, really lucky. Lucky like when I met you and became friends with you and Ryuji and everyone else." Responded the former doormat with a sheepish smile. "Really, if there's anyone to thank, it's you, Akira."

"Geez, you guys aren't going to turn this into some sort of competition, are ya'?" Sounded Ryuji. In a heartbeat, he had his arm wrapped around Mishima's neck. "Dude, you did pretty good this time! We got to witness one hell of a show and it's all thanks to you!"

"Yeah, I gotta say, this was one pleasant surprise." Makoto sounded.

"You make it sound like you were expecting something a tad more…scandalous." Muttered the former Phansite operator.

Kaoru couldn't resist taking the bait. "Well, given how you spend your time, I'd say everyone was right to be concerned." His snickering was rewarded with an aside glare from Mishima. "Still, that was pretty awesome. It was the first time that I ever saw dancing up close and personal, at least not when it's not on a game or something."

"Same here, though the last one was…well, I want to say boring, but…I've seen some dances like that in some of the shows that I watch." Pipped up the hacker with a thoughtful look on her face.

"Which is?" Questioned the former iron-masked Phantom Thief, her tone nothing short of motherly.

There was only one way Futaba could respond. "Secret!" Putting away her phone, she spun on her heel and then grabbed Mishima _and _Kaoru by the hands causing the two boys to near jump, especially the former. To Akira, this was quite a turnaround from when the two first met, what with her outright calling Mishima's lack of presence comparable to an NPC in a video game. It seemed in the time he'd been away from Tokyo, he'd "leveled up" in the eyes of the hacker. "Alright, boys, let's get going!"

Watching her push her way through the crowd, the three older teens couldn't help but chuckle.

"Is she on her way to becoming an otome protagonist?" Akira asked.

"If that happens, well, I pity the poor saps, starting with those two." Sounded off the former bludgeon-user.

"We're…well, we're just happy that Futaba's been getting out a little bit more. First it started with Mishima, speaking of which, what exactly happened between those two? I talked to him and he said that their first meeting and her first impression of her was…"

"Best left unsaid." Responded the black-haired teen in an almost sagely tone of voice which served to further intrigue his two former teammates. Secretly, Akira breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that his surrogate sister was now able to openly interact with people. With Mishima, well, the words "less threatening" came to mind. "Kaoru's a little bit of a surprise, though not too much since he's just as interested in models as her. Anyone know how their paths might have crossed?"

"No clue, but I'm not really complaining, especially since it gets her out of her shell." Ryuji stated with a smile on his face. To Akira's left, Makoto attempted to do the same, but he could tell it was somewhat forced. _Ever the mother hen as always. Heh, I can only imagine what'll happen when you met someone you love and decide to settle down with them. _There was no doubt in Akira's mind that Makoto would find success in her life, she was an extremely driven person. When it came to potential romance and perhaps a family, he had his hopes up. Though Makoto herself wasn't one who dwelled on the topic, her drive would no doubt attract admirers, just like as Futaba opened up she was beginning to do the same bit by bit. "So, how's everyone else doing? I heard that Ann had a photo shoot so she couldn't be here."

"Yusuke is taking some sort of special art course, so that rolled him out." Spoke up his best friend, a slight downcast look on his face. It was undeniable that Ryuji was a center of commandry amongst the team, including Morgana whose absence he'd been somewhat tight-lipped about. Akira imagined that would change later on into the night. "Some of his art has also started to pop up around town too!"

"I've seen some of it." His mind drifted back to the date he had with Sadayo and the sheer luck they'd had in coming upon his painter friend's artwork, amongst several others which gave praise to them as heroes. "He's keeping himself well fed, hasn't he?"

"Ryuji's been taking care of that." Makoto giggled while the dyed blond looked away, a light tint on his face. "After he came over, Ryuji's made it his mission to make sure that he's eating right, and to do that he's making sure that he's actually selling some of his artwork. He told me that it's thanks to you that he's even willing to consider such a thing."

"Guy really needed to find out that making art to make a living isn't such a bad thing. Hell, he's lucky he's got a hobby that allows him to make money at the same time." Proclaimed the former runner. Truth be told, a part of him had jealous of his friend's artistic talent. In time, that jealous had faded as he realized Yusuke had his hobbies and interests and he had his, there was nothing wrong with that, but what he should have been doing was focusing on his strengths. "Um, hey, Akira."

"Like I said, while my mom's in town she's open to giving a lesson or two." The former knife-user had a rather Cheshire smile on his face that belayed the joy he was feeling in catching up with his friends. Still maintaining his cat-like grin, he spoke to Makoto, "She's open to anyone willing to come and learn."

Like a flash of lightning, Makoto suddenly found herself the center of attention. Even Futaba, Mishima, and Kaoru had stopped and turned around to look at her, interested in what her answer would be. Needless to say, the aspiring police commissioner became a flustered mess.

"H-H-Hey, n-now wait a minute! I-I-I want to meet Mrs. Kurusu too, b-but s-surely it can be for something more formal!" Cried the brunette.

"Formal sounds kind of boring." Futaba sniped. Ryuji and Akira howled with laughter and even Mishima bit back a laugh. "Besides, if you're going to be some big-shot police officer, doesn't that mean you'll have to go to big fancy parties and dances and all that? That's what I read online."

"F-Futaba, you shouldn't believe everything that you read online!" Quickly countered the younger Niijima. She probably should have chosen her words better as Futaba, and even Mishima, fixed her with a dry stare that had her cheeks flushing red.

"Uh, Makoto-san, I don't think you're going to win this fight." Kaoru noted, having read the atmosphere incredibly well. "Besides, learning how to dance doesn't sound so bad, especially if you can do what those couples just did. That was awesome! Akira, have you ever danced like that with someone?"

"In junior high." He replied near automatically. It wasn't a lie. Except the kind of kind of passion that he'd seen between the second couple, the ones who'd danced the swing-swing, that hadn't been there in the junior high dance. It had been there when he'd taken Sadayo Kawakami into his arms and engaged in a slow but passionate dance that left the two of them feeling like they were breathing in starlight. He stopped and stared up at the stars, temporarily confusing them for the late summer sky that he and his girlfriend had danced under. They'd repeated the performance in early November, buddled up for the fall and their body heat combining into a radiant flame that kept the two shielded against the autumn air.

His spacing out didn't go unnoticed.

"First love?" Mishima questioned in an almost awed voice.

"First crush, calling it love is stretching it a bit." Akira responded with a light smile. "Especially since she kind of danced with me out of pity more than anything." If Morgana were with them, he was sure this was the part where he said Ryuji's name causing the blond to snap at the feline. As much as Akira missed his feline companion, he was a tad happy that the blue-eyed cat wasn't with him, if he was he and the rest of the group would be subject to the brotherly bickering between him and Ryuji. Never mind trying to explain it to Mishima and Kaoru, neither of whom would have been able to understand why Ryuji kept on getting into arguments with a cat. Or why said cat displayed a near human-like intelligence. "What about you boys?"

Light blushes spread across the two shorter boys, both of whom who looked at each other then briefly to Futaba. The hacker returned their glances with an almost bewildered expression. And if Akira's eyes weren't deceiving him…there was a little pink tint on her cheeks.

"Um, uh, come on, guys! L-Let's go or else we'll miss out train!" Mishima shouted.

"Come to think of it, exactly where are we going anyway?" Akira questioned to which he received a grin from the three younger teens. "Ah, I get it, a surprise. Well, lead the way, little ones."

"Hey, who are you calling little!" Futaba decried!

"I'm in the same grade as you!" Mishima added.

"Really enjoying being back in Tokyo, aren't you?" Kaoru responded with a dry smile. Ironically, he seemed the most adjusted to the gray-eyed teen's wit. He had seen him spar with his father, a feat that took Kaoru's breath away as he was well aware that _very _few people had the balls to speak more than a few words to his adoptive guardian. "For the record, you won't be able to keep on calling us kids, so enjoy it while you can!"

Grinning from ear to ear, the fuzzy-haired teen stepped forward and wrapped his arm around the hacker and the model enthusiast, greatly shocking both of them. "Ah, you're right! I've got to make sure to use all the time I can to gush over you two! Oh, and you too, Mishima!"

"H-Hey! Don't lump me in with them! Like I said, I'm in the same grade as you and Ryuji!" Shouted the aspiring writer with a flushed face. This wasn't how he thought the evening would turn out, but secretly he couldn't deny that a part of him was happy. "B-Besides, y-y-you may not know it yet, but I've moved up a little since last time!"

"Oh, has someone finally turned in their V-Card yet like they're always hoping to?" Ryuji baited with a devilish smile. Mishima's face turned bright red causing Ryuji to snicker.

"Neither have you!"

"Ahem, boys! That's enough for one evening." Commanded the red-eyed student council president, her voice cutting through the air like a razor. The other five teens tensed like they'd been cut themselves. Akira turned about and gave his team's analytical tactician a half-hearted joke; she wasn't amused. Not at first anyway. "Let's just drop this topic, alright? The last thing Futaba and I need to be doing is messaging your bruises egos."

"Well gee, Makoto, thanks. You're making it sound like our egos break like glass." Ryuji snorted. "We're men, we can be mature. Especially when it comes to women!"

"Shall I give exhibits A, B, C, and D?" Pipped up glasses-wearing girl.

Immediately, Ryuji's bravado faded. "You know, I'm starting to think you were better off as a geeky shut-in."

Laugher broke out amongst the group as they continued on their walk through Yoyogi Park. It was still fairly packed as one would have expected on a Saturday night; there were quite a few couples out enjoying a nice autumn evening. In almost an equal number, there were groups like theirs, sitting at benches and up against trees. The weather was pleasant enough, but it wasn't going to last forever so everyone was making the most of the time they did have.

_Time. _Akira repeated in his head. He didn't stop walking even as his mind began to turn to a different topic, the chatter of his friends becoming a distant echo in his ears. Time slipped backward, the cold breeze was replaced by a warm one. Flowers were blooming all across the ground while the trees held a number of blooming cherry blossoms instead of the red, orange, and yellow color palette they now wore. In his pocket, his right hand flexed, the residual warmth of a certain someone suddenly resonating. _Sadayo, just…please, wait a little bit for me, okay. _Pulling his hand out of his pocket, he felt like his palm was once again being caressed by the sweet feel of cherry blossoms on the wind. It was precursor to what came next-the soft touch of the woman he loved pulling him along. Akira wasn't a very pious person, but he did understand that sometimes the simple act of praying for another could sometimes pay off. It was illogical, but illogical was something he was good at.

So he looked up to the sky and prayed, prayed that the talk between his girlfriend and parents were going well. And he prayed that when spring came and Yoyogi Park was the host to next year's _hanami_, he'd be able to carve out some time to go see it with his girlfriend. He'd do what he'd have to, but he made a commitment to see her every season until he graduated and came back to Tokyo, and it was a promise he planned on keeping.

* * *

**That seems like a good stopping place. A bit of a quiet and subdued chapter, especially compared to the last one. I had planned on Akira and company going to go to a speech given by a certain someone, but the more I wrote the more I realized it didn't quite fit, at least not at this moment. Instead, I decided to make the gang's trip down to the Yoyogi Park and the dance show the climax of the second half of this chapter. Now that I've established Akira's mom as a gymnast, dancing kind of seems like an easy reach. Dancing has never really been a thing of mine, but as I got older (and listen to my mom more), I've started to come around. Persona 5 is a classy game and Akira's a very classy character, especially when he's entertaining a lady he likes. Expect more dance-related scenes and topics in the future, especially at the end of this little arc I've got going on here.**

**Bolero is a solo or couple's dance that originated in Spain in the 18****th**** century, it's a slow and often romantic rhythm dance where the lead dancer mimics a toreador in a bullfight while the other dancer alternates between moving like a bull or the matador's cape. It's rather opposite of the American Swing-Swing and the Brazilian-African Samba, but definitely on the romantic side when done by a couple. During the whole dance show I dropped some subtle hints at what's been going on with some members of the Thieves in Akira's absence. Next chapters will be expanding on it. Speaking of which, next chapter will wrap up Akira's night out on the town and have him meeting back with his parents to discuss their talk with our favorite teacher-maid, who I'll try to have make an appearance next chapter. **

**Yoyogi Park is a popular park destination located in the Shibuya ward. Sundays are usually when you'll see performers, cosplayers, and the like out and about, but I decided to bump things up and have something be happening on a Saturday night for the gang to see. In the spring, thousands of people come from all over for **_**hanami**_**, a traditional custom of flower-viewing typical done in the spring (late March to May). As you can imagine, viewing the hundreds upon thousands of sakura trees is more often than not the main attraction; it's a scene I'd love to write as Akira will be visiting Tokyo one or two more times. It's pretty clear on who he'll always come to see, or rather, who'll be the center of his visits. **

**Until then, stay safe and healthy, everyone! Also, on a closing note…RIP and thank you, RBG, for all that you fought for. **


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